


Catharsis

by Ourea



Category: Naruto
Genre: Bloodplay, Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Knifeplay, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2018-11-02 11:57:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 46,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10944006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ourea/pseuds/Ourea
Summary: Sakura meets Sasori several times, each time more dangerous than the last.





	1. First Encounter

Solo missions had never been that fun. She didn’t like going anywhere without some sort of team to heal. When she was half drunk as she was now, she knew herself much better than when she was sober. She needed someone to need her. Her darkening eyes focusing on the moldy walls of the tavern, hardening at the dirty thought that wormed its way to the forefront of her current state. She always got this way on solo missions, away from the village.

After Naruto left to go train with Jiraiya, and after her own intense training with Tsunade, she found herself surprisingly burnt out. Long days spent idly wandering the village and long nights spent watching over injured shinobi and civilian alike the in the hospital wore on her. Though nothing wore on her quite like the inexplicable boredom she found between the two. Sakura picked a bit of dirt out from underneath her nails as she waited for the bartender to turn back around. She signaled lazily for him to bring her another drink.

Even that was disappointing. It was a stale rice wine, watered down and expensive as possible for the run down tavern on the border of the Land of Rivers and Land of Fire.

Her target’s blood stained her shirt, but the cloak she wore over her figure was enough to keep from frightening anyone she didn’t want to. She swirled the pungent alcohol around in the glass before downing it. He hadn’t been any older than her. He was lost in the woods when she found him on the border between Wind Country and River Country.

She had looked in his eyes as she wrung the breath from his lungs, hands crushing his windpipe. He had Sasuke’s black eyes, those never ending puddles of ink that drew her in. His expression even matched. So much so that it had thrown her off long enough for him to get a good stab into her shoulder as he attempted to get away.

Her target, as she thought of him, neglectful to remember his name in fear it would bring her anguish, had been a recently-rogue nin from their ally village of sand. He had attacked Gaara and ran from the village, leaving a trail of eight civilian and two shinobi bodies on his way out. He was merely running for his life, having dared to doubt the village’s decision to let Gaara, a previous terror, lead them. She almost had understood his actions.

After all, nobody should just follow orders blindly.

She smirked at the hypocrisy and finished her drink.

Sakura could have kept going and she would have found herself home by the next night. Instead, she decided to get a room at the inn above the tavern for the night and rest up. Until then, she would drink until she could forget the way the boy had trembled in fear of her, low rumbles of pleading vibrating in his throat beneath her palms. She winced as though it physically hurt her.

He really had looked like Sasuke. Even after she closed his eyes.

She waved for the bartender to get her another drink. He poured it and left her be again, sensing she didn’t want conversation. She studied her hands, only taking half notice when a stranger sat beside her. A bit of a chip formed on her shoulder. He could have sat elsewhere. She was grateful for his silence to her, though. She had feared he would try to hit on her or strike up otherwise mundane conversation.

“Hey, I’m gonna hit the sack, yeah?” A blonde man grabbed the stranger next to her and took the room key to the inn above the tavern.

“Mm.” The redhead acknowledged boredly. The blonde left without another word and the man next to her idly glanced in her direction.

Normally, she’d avert her eyes in shame of staring so openly. This time, she held eye contact for a moment more before returning to her drink without a word. She didn’t care if it was rude and evidently, neither did he, because he continued to stare at _her_ profile this time as she looked away.

For a moment, he was certain the pink-haired woman had recognized him. He had relinquished his puppet Hiruko in favor of stretching his limbs. His previous puppet body had gotten destroyed by one of Deidara’s sculptures. After he thoroughly beat Deidara into a bloodied pulp, he had to return to his human body for the time being until he crafted himself again. So, when he stayed curled up in Hiruko for long periods of time, he ached.

He also fell victim to a rather nasty habit he had picked up as a youth when he was in his aging human body. His fingers searched around in his pocket before grabbing a small white box with black clove cigarettes inside. He took one out and found a lighter in his pocket as well.

“Sir, please don’t smoke in here.” The bartender tried.

Sasori gave no response as he lit the cigarette and took a deep drag from it, mind numbing blissfully for a mere moment.

“Sir—“

A puff of smoke interrupted the bartenders sentence as Sasori blew.  
  
“Sir!”

“Shut up.” Sasori warned. "You're being too loud."

“Why—this is **my** bar, and I say don’t smoke!” The bartender yelled.

Sakura let out an annoyed sigh. Her peaceful quiet had been purged by the stranger’s rude charade. She snatched the lit cigarette with a quick hand and dropped it in his drink. She glanced at him, though she did not turn her head. Sakura felt she had made her point very well.

For a moment, he was stunned she had the audacity to do such a thing. She clearly had no idea how dangerous he was, how he could kill her in the blink of an eye, or make her suffer for days, writhing in pain from one of his many poisons.

“It was quiet before you came. I want it to be quiet again.” Sakura explained in a low voice, not pretending to be cheery or polite.

“You should be careful who you annoy, little girl.” Sasori said dangerously and dropped one of his arms to his side. Sakura expected he was grabbing some sort of weapon, but when he didn’t attack, she took another sip of her drink. The bartender poured her another drink, ‘of his own accord’.

The bartender was utterly at a loss how his limbs moved without his permission. He obviously wasn’t aware of the puppet master controlling his movements, hand hidden from sight of the pink shinobi seated next to him.

Sakura eyed the bartender before finally turning to look at the stranger. He was handsome, she would give him that. He looked nearly as old as Kakashi did, though. His eyes were tired, lethal, silent, encased in an amber hue so worrisome that she felt a chill go up her spine when he made direct eye contact. His lips quirked into a forced smirk, not doing well to conceal his irritation. She didn’t do anything to placate him either.

The bartender poured Sasori another drink, now that his was ruined by the put out cigarette.

Sasori lit another cigarette, maintaining eye contact with the interestingly attractive female. Her eyes drifted to it, then the bartender who ignored it now, knowing to pick his battles.

Sakura tilted her head a bit, as if trying to understand him a bit better. Their eye contact was dead and bored yet companionable in an odd and distant sense. As though they were having a nonverbal conversation.

“What are you doing here?” Sasori asked, curiosity getting the better of him. Live people occasionally proved to be entertaining after all.

“Drinking.” Sakura said flatly and turned away. She didn't want to play his games.

“Mm. Why?” Sasori smirked now, knowing that he was being a pest.

“Because I kill people for a living.” She said, hoping to scare him away. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew it wouldn’t work. He was dangerous, and she could tell. It intrigued her greatly how she didn’t mind the proximity.

“Me too.” He said quietly. Sakura glared at him for a moment before snatching his cigarette again, though this time she held it to her lips and held eye contact as she took a drag. There was no mirth between them. She was at her lowest and desperate for some sort of relief. The relief it provided was minimal, but present. She replaced it between his lips, admiring how pretty he was, as if carved out of wood by a skilled hand. Her eyes lingered on his lips. They were full, with a perfectly carved cupid's bow. She didn't mind staring for a moment long before looking to her drink.

Her touch burnt, he noticed. As if she were some sort of otherworldly creature that had the ability to sear skin with even the slightest caress. He was going to retaliate for her theft, but he couldn't figure out how quite yet.

“You’re quite rude.” Sasori said bluntly. She huffed lightly in amusement.

“You’re one to talk.” She returned, finishing her last drink and getting up. She dropped her money haphazardly in the bartender’s hand and gave a last glare at the redhead man. She stood there for a moment before heading up to her rented room.

He watched the strange kuinoichi retreat, staring at the back of her head as if he could kill her with a look. He was caught off guard by the girl of pink hair. He took a drink and stared at the space where she had been. Perhaps it was sexual attraction, or perhaps it was that human curiosity that plague him in this form. Either way, he was glad to see it go.

Upstairs, Sakura had found her room with a bit of difficulty as her steps seemed to labor her more in her inebriated state.

Blood had never bothered her so much before. _She was a medic._ She saw more blood and suffering than those on the front lines. Sakura shed her cloak as she shut the door to her room behind her. She stood in the dingy bathroom as she peeled her clothes off. They were plastered to her with a combination of blood and perspiration. She was hit with her own stale stench, suddenly very glad she had worn a cloak. Even in her rut of despair, she cared about how she smelled.

A sigh fell over her lips as she washed her clothes in the sink, occasionally glancing up to see the wound she still hadn’t healed. It was open and crusted over with blood. Of course, she had stopped the bleeding and cleaned it with water from her canteen, but she didn’t bother with anything behind that. It hadn’t begun to fester so it wasn’t a problem.

Her eyes fell to staring at her face in the mirror. She looked hideous. Eyes sunken with a lack of sleep and deep stress. This had been her first real assassination mission, and she had been chosen merely because everyone usually sent on such missions were out and busy. She wasn’t even a first choice.

She pressed curious fingertips into her wound, cringing a bit. Her heart picked up in speed as she did so, fueling her limbs with adrenaline, but she continued to prod and press and peel layers of crusted blood and skin back. It hurt like hell, but it felt oddly relieving. She had become so depressed that she had felt numb. This felt good, compared to that haunting nothingness.

Her brow knit and she stopped herself. She gave a sigh and summoned a wave of healing chakra. She looked back at her reflection, oddly disappointed in her sudden masochism. She shook her head. That was something she would forget and never reveal to anyone. Just like that, the wound was gone, leaving a very light, very faint scar behind. As if nothing had been there.

She supposed she had to start collecting scars at some point. Compared to other shinobi her age, she was a blank canvas, ready to be littered with gash and wound and scar.

Sakura blinked the thought away and stepped into the shower, washing the blood from her and scraping her fingernails clean of the residue. She thought back to the stranger, likely still sitting at the bar and pestering the bartender. He was a stain in her mind, like wine spilled on fabric. His eyes burrowed into the recesses of her thoughts.

Her fingers lingered on her lips as the weight of his cigarette remained there. She closed her eyes and let the water rush over her face and wash away the ghost of the tobacco. She needed to get herself out of this depressed state before she returned home. Sighing deeply, she turned off the comforting water and stepped out careless of dripping water over the carpet of the room. She dried her hair as she walked to her bag and fished for new clothes. She hummed in disapproval, realizing the window was open. Modesty overtook her despair and she quickly wrapped the towel around herself before closing the curtains.

Hopefully no one had seen. If they had, she hoped she didn’t know them.

Sakura took a bit of paperwork from her bag and decided to tackle it now so that she had nothing to do when she returned home.

‘Name: Haruno Sakura. Team: …’

She grimaced as she once again wrote her name. She truly hated solo missions.

‘Mission Assignment: Eliminate Matsu Hoyomi.’ ‘Mission Outcome: Target Eliminated.’

‘Matsu Hoyomi was found at an estimated 30 klicks from Suna, just about to cross the border to the Land of Rivers. When interrogated, he was indeed headed to Konoha as suspected with intent to target Naruto Uzumaki due to his status as a Jinchuriki. No affiliation to the Akatsuki, who share similar goals. He was targeting him out of fear. His body has been returned to Suna.’

Satisfied with her bare-bones report, Sakura filed it back into her bag and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment before dressing and reopening her curtains to stare at the night sky. Surprisingly, amber eyes through her off. The stranger stood outside, speaking with someone. He looked up as he noticed the motion of the curtains opening. He apparently didn’t mind her watching as he drew a kunai and slaughtered the drunk who had attempted to assault him and turn him in for bounty.  
  
Had she not been half-drunk and exhausted, perhaps she would have done something about it. Instead, she just maintained eye contact, dreading that he would come up and try to eliminate her for being a witness. She waited on it for a while before resolving that after he had walked away, he had no intent to murder her as well. Her gaze fell to the myriad of stars in the blackened sky.

Distantly, she wondered if Sasuke was watching the sky as well, if he found the stars as beautiful as she did. Her tongue felt heavy as she whispered his name, not daring to say it any louder than that. Then her thoughts turned to Naruto. Was his training going well? He was due to return in a few months and she found herself missing him dearly. Maybe missing him more than she missed Sasuke. After all, Naruto hadn’t abandoned her in such a way that Sasuke did. She sighed.

Often, she tried to pretend to anger at Sasuke’s actions, but every time she just returned to her state of bored. She missed him and loved him and all those other things that kept her up at night. Footsteps broke the silence and she stared at the spill of light beneath her door. Two shoes presented themselves plaining, breaking up the light and casting long shadows.

Ah, maybe the stranger would come after her to kill her. Oddly, she did not find herself heading for her weapon’s pouch. She stood at her window waiting for the stranger in front of her door to knock, or speak, or pick the lock. Much to her surprise, he bent and slid something under her door before walking away.

Suspicion lacing her movements, she walked up to it and stared before picking up the black cigarette. She sniffed it, not finding any poison residue. No, this was a clove cigarette. She rose a brow and inspected it closely, wondering if it was wrapped in a paper bomb. Determining it was not she smiled lightly and huffed in amusement. Had she attracted the stranger even in this state? Her eyes were drawn to the writing on it.

‘Hiruko.’

Sakura smirked a bit and decided to tuck it away in her personal items. She’d have to investigate the name when she got back. The man had certainly piqued her interest. She ran her fingers through her damp hair and walked over to the window to give one last look at the waning crescent moon before she shut her curtains once again.

She crawled under the scratchy sheets of the lumpy bed and stared at the ceiling, belatedly realizing sleep was far from her reality. She felt a sneer creep onto her features. She really should have interfered as ‘Hiruko’ killed that man.

Gradually, realization hit her as she recognized the face that had given her such dangerous looks. Her eyes widened a bit and she shot out of bed, grabbing the bingo book from her bag and thumbing through the pages until she came upon a photograph of the stranger sleeping perhaps a few rooms down from her.

Being an upstanding citizen of Konoha and a skilled shinobi, she should go make an arrest or assassination, but he had intrigued her.

“Sasori of the Red Sand.” She whispered quietly, scrutinizing the page. He was much older in appearance than in the early photograph they had of him. The look in his eyes startled her in a way she couldn’t quite describe. She shut the book and stared at the clover cigarette lying in her toiletry bag.

Her body moved without telling her what it was doing. She wrote neatly on a piece of paper.

‘Of Red Sand?’

There was a smirk on her lips as she trailed out of her room, hesitating and focusing for a moment to find that chakra signature that seemed so different from that of which she normally felt. She stopped in front of the door, but things didn’t go as planned. It was opened just a hair and her smirk disappeared as her green eyes met yellow ones once again.

That didn’t stop her from bending over and slipping the paper under the door before straightening up and walking away like she had just won some sort of battle they were having.

Sasori watched her saunter off, leaning against the door frame, listening to his partner’s loud snores behind him. It took him a moment to gather his wits before he shut the door and picked up the slip of paper.

“Huh.” Sasori hummed, folding it neatly and slipping it into his pocket. He grinned a bit. He’d have to follow her and find out just who she was. He expected her own name to be written on the paper, but instead the coy little thing divulged she knew who he was. It wasn’t a wise thing to do. Playing innocent would have been smarter.

He stood there in the dark, trying to decide what to do. The logical course of action would be to kill her. She did know too much after all. He considered it a moment longer before shrugging casually and returning to his separate bed.


	2. First Endeavors

The second time she met him was on a seduction mission, given to her as all the better fit candidates were gone from the village at the time, which is usually why she got stuck with solo missions anyway. She had been sent to ‘persuade’ a mob boss she didn’t care to learn the name of into releasing a couple of team of genin hostages from their village. She knew the team as Konohamaru's and thus valued the success a bit more than she normally would. However, it hadn’t quite gone according to plan.

Everything had gone well up until the point of negotiations.

“They can go, but you gotta stay.” He grunted, leaning forward eagerly and looking Sakura up and down. Sakura stood her ground, keeping down the disgust that bubbled up in her stomach.

“That wasn’t part of the deal.” Sakura asserted. “The release of the team would be granted upon retrieval of the sword you said was stolen from you.” She said harshly. Sword in question was one belonging to the late Zabuza. She remembered it clearly. “The team that, by the way, were in no way involved to begin with.”

She knew he would do this. That's why it was initially labeled a seduction mission, as he was infamous for going back on his word.

“Fiesty, hm? Just how I like it.” He purred, alcohol laden breath causing Sakura to force down a gag. She tilted her head a bit, attempting to politely free herself from the stench. She looked away for a moment, trying to placate her own rage. “No, the sword is damaged, so I want something else now.”

Sakura stared at the sword before looking back to the beady eyes of the ring leader.

“Fine.” The word was practically spat on the ground. “I will remain, but I will be the one to walk the genin team and their sensei to the edge of town before returning.”

“No can do, darling.” He said. “You know, the more you talk, the more it makes me want to keep all of you.”

Sakura looked to the aforementioned hostages. Initially, the object of her mission was to persuade the mob boss into the release of Team Ebisu with the compensation of a stolen sword. Though now it seems he was trying to make her beg. Her stoicism was beginning to break into an unbridled rage. She took a deep breath before turning her green eyes to the shady man.

“You may have me for a night and the sword for however long you manage to hold onto it, but the team gets released.” Sakura offered. Yes, she would follow him to bed then put him under a genjustu, and escape (with the sword that she would return to the grave of Zabuza and Haku).

“Hmmm,” He pretended to think about it, eyeing her and silently waiting for her to sweeten the deal.

This was the part of being a kuinoichi no one mentioned to her when she was little and innocent. The part that required her to swallow her pride and beg on her knees to an all too smug man who would plan to use her.

“Fine.” He said after she had fallen to her knees in front of him, head lowered submissively. He smirked down at her and gestured for one of his lessers to escort the three genin and, inexplicably, their captured jonin sensei from the building. Sakura watched from the corner of her eye, making hateful eye contact with their sensei. She blamed him for this. He should have kept better watch of his team. “Come,” He ordered, standing and grabbing her by the arm to not give her an option.

He dragged her down a hallway with buzzing fluorescents until they came upon what she assumed was his room. His mouth was on Sakura’s neck before she could process what was happening. As soon as the lock clicked on the door she slammed a gloved hand over his mouth and backed him into a wall, eyes glimmering with murderous intent.

Konoha preached mercy. Konoha preached grace, but above all loyalty. So surely, this small transgression of needless violence would be forgiven _if_ it be ever be found out by her mentor and Hokage. She leaned in close, nose to nose with the now horrified man as he couldn’t manage to wrangle himself from her strong grip. One hand covered his mouth, but the other squeezed his throat, discouraging the way he scratched and pushed at her.

“You are a disgusting human being. For someone with no particular power and strength, you seem to have quite a bit of influence, don’t you think?” She whispered, in a mock seduction. “What do you think would happen should you disappear?”

He began to tremble as he realized the village had sent a shinobi.

Sakura had foregone wearing her headband. She had dressed as a civilian and posed as one of the genin’s mother. It had worked.

“I think _, and this is just a theory.”_ She looked haphazardly around the small, cramped, dirty room. “I think the world will go on. Perhaps a bit better than it did before. With one. Less. Sack. Of shit.” She emphasized, reaching up behind his head and releasing his throat. He took a deep, desperate breath through his nose but it was cut short by silence as she quickly turned his head just past the point of break. In all likelihood, though she never really knew, he had a few more seconds of life. She knelt by the corpse and watched his eyes as they glazed over.

“Hm. I was right.” She decided and landed a small kick to his ribcage. “Pervert.”

Of course, Sakura didn’t mind killing someone who deserved it. He had planned to kill off the genins one at a time until he got what he wanted. That was unacceptable. She stood there for a moment, looking to the door, then the window.

If she had gone through the door, she would no doubt encounter his henchmen, loyal or otherwise. Instead, she chose the window. A thought of Kakashi’s window entries and exits caused a small amused breath to escape through her nose. She opened the window and crawled out onto the roof before jumping down. She dreaded Kiri.

In what was now becoming a habit, Sakura wandered through the town before finding a tavern with an inn next door. She smiled lightly to herself and indulged herself as she sat at the bar and ordered a drink. The bartender looked at her sideways.

“You’re too young to drink.” The bartender informed her. Sakura stiffened a bit, trying not to look too indignant. A brief thought crossed her mind that she'd never really met a nice bartender.

“I’m young enough to be sent out on assassination missions, I’m old enough to drink.” She growled a warning.

“I won’t serve you alcohol at my bar. And good luck finding something elsewhere!” He retorted. “I’m not scared of you, look around, girl. You’re surrounded by people more dangerous than a pink haired little twit who should learn to watch her mouth!”

Sakura glared, fingers balling up into fists dangerously.

“She’s old enough to drink.” A familiar drawl came. Sakura stared blankly as a glass was slid in front of her. She tilted her head and peered at the red head who had shown up seemingly at the perfect moment.

“Not in my—“

The sentence was stopped abruptly as Sasori’s puppeteering moved the bartender away. This time Sakura saw what he did, however she didn't do anything about it.

“Thank you for your service.” Sasori hummed in amusement to the man, feeling a bit playful after having spotted the girl. He sat down in the stool next to her, watching as she drank. “I was wondering if I’d have to sneak into Konoha to see you again, kuinoichi.”

“Hmph. I think you wouldn’t make it far in Konoha.” She said matter of factly and set the empty glass down. “You underestimate the village, Hiruko.” Her voice was pointed.

“Care to test that theory?” Sasori wagered.

“No. I don’t want someone as terrible as you in my village.” She said flatly, propping her head up and talking to him lightly.

She should have tried to take him captive, or stalked him to find some sort of intel. Instead, here she was, chatting up the enemy as though their objective didn’t cause direct harm to her friends. Her eyes wandered.

“You don’t wear your colors.” She said quietly and looked away as he began to look her over questioningly.

“Neither do you.” A hand came up slowly, causing Sakura’s nerves to clench in anticipation. He ran the backs of his fingertips along her hair before poking her lightly where she usually placed her head band. “Shouldn’t something be right here?”

“ _Hardly_ any of your business.” She said stiffly. “You have a lot of nerve touching me so freely. I just killed a man for such a thing, maybe ten minutes ago.” She told him.

“Oh?” Sasori then gave a small grin, lips thinning with the gesture. Sakura’s breath caught in her throat. It looked like venom. “Did he suffer?”

“No. I don’t practice cruelty.” She feared to look away. It was like watching a predator stalk about and praying that perhaps it would go away if she maintained eye contact to prove she wasn't prey.

“You do.” He told her. “You are cruel.”

“I am merciful.” She warned him.

“If you were merciful, you would have given me your name instead of teased me.” Sasori offered, remembering how after he offered her a name, she merely returned the gesture by showing she knew who he was.

“My name is none of your business.” Sakura told him, narrowing her eyes. "Besides, what you gave me was an alias.

“Ah, but then what would I put between my lips, if not your name?”

The innuendo gave her pause as she realized rather than toying with her, he was flirting. Or perhaps both. Perhaps frightening young shinobi was some sort of fucked up foreplay for him. She glanced down to his jacket where a pack of cigarettes stuck out haphazardly. She plucked it from his jacket and took one for herself before jamming one between his lips as he opened his mouth to speak again.

“Something less likely to kill you.” She smiled sweetly and put the pouch of cigarettes back in his jacket’s pocket.

He was stunned for a moment, but there was no change in his lidded expression. After a long silence he huffed in amusement and lit the cigarette, only to have it snatched away.

“That is getting old, kunoichi.” He warned but watched as she used the lit end of his own to light the one she stole from him. His eyes narrowed at her boldness as she held it out for him. He leaned forward and took it, lips brushing against her fingers lightly as it happened. She yanked her hand to her chest rather ungracefully as she grinned at her.

“Getting old, huh? So’s your attitude, and likely… well, it looks like you’ve seen better days.” Sakura retorted childishly and shut her eyes to enjoy the smoke.

“Age taunts? Hm,” Sasori hummed and leaned forward. “Then you should know not to mess with more experienced men. We eat young women like you up without remorse.” Sakura’s eyes opened slowly, as to not betray her self-control.

She considered him for a moment.

“Thanks for the drink, Hiruko.” She said tersely and walked out.

He didn’t notice at first, but she had left a card in her seat. He picked it up and looked at it carefully. His brow rose a bit at the implication of her leaving her room number behind. Sasori pocketed it and got another drink.

The unspoken meaning was pretty clear, but he more likely believed it to be some sort of trap. The shinobi girl couldn’t have been but 16. The thought made him grimace. He’d been watching her all day. The mission she was sent on…

Her village had practically offered her up on a silver platter, despite her not yet being 18. Then again, he had no idea what the age of consent was in her land. He remembered in Suna it kept faltering between 14 and 20, though when the Kazekage wished to marry a young girl of a noble family the age dropped to 12, sparking outrage.  
  
Upon reflecting on his decisions, he would blame his humanity with the way his feet led him to the only inn nearby, up to the 38th room, and he would blame his human urges for the way his knuckles gently rasped the wooden door.

“It’s open.” Sakura hummed, having just finished up a mission report and filed it away. She had lied on it. The man never attacked her like she wrote down. She didn’t give him the chance to attack her.

“So, the little kunoichi decides that she’s mature enough to drink, to smoke, to fuck, I’m assuming is what you were implying.” Sasori said casually and shut the door behind him, turning the lock quietly.

Hearing it so bluntly almost made her flinch.

“You would do well to not call me ‘little’.” She said and stood up. “I was craving honest conversation rather than banter. The tavern is not a place for honesty.”

“Of course.” Sasori said with a disbelieving quirk of his brow. Without permission he sat on her bed as she sat in the chair at the desk of the room.

“What is the Akatsuki doing in Kiri?” She asked without even looking at him as she organized the items in her bag before zipping it up. She finally turned to him when there was a long silence.

“You’re not very good at this whole interrogation thing, kunoichi.” He said casually and looked her over. The logical course of action would be to detain her and use her as a bargaining chip for her village to hand over their Jinchuriki. Of course, it wasn’t the one he was assigned to, but he didn’t think it truly mattered in the end, and he did not want to go to Suna. Ever.

“Hm. I’m not trained in interrogation. I’m better at killing, not torturing.” Sakura said bluntly. “And I’m not even very good at that. I’m a medic.” She examined the carpeting, trying not to make direct eye contact again. He had that uncanny ability to paralyze her with that nondescript emotion in his eyes.

“Not good at killing, hm?” Sasori leaned forward a bit, examining her expression as she avoided his eyes. He reached out, hand ghosting her thigh as he gripped the seat of the chair and dragged her towards him. She tensed and finally made eye contact. “So what is Konoha doing sending you on missions all by yourself, then? Don’t they know there are dangerous rogue nin running about?” He leaned forward as she pressed her back against the chair, wondering if inviting him up had dug her grave.

“I’m effective. I've never failed a solo mission.” She told him, trying to regain a bit of dominance that she had lost by weakening her posture.

“Right, so I’m assuming by your clothing they didn’t send you to kill him.” Sasori hummed and hooked a finger in the v-shaped neckline of her shirt. As his finger just barely touched her skin, she felt a shiver that she fought hard to suppress.

“He had it coming,” Sakura justified.

“You don’t have to give me a reason.” He huffed with amusement. “I don’t have much reason when I kill.” He smirked at her disgusted expression and let go of her shirt. Sasori straightened his back, stretching a bit and leaving a void in her personal space. “You’ve given me more reasons than I need to kill you. Aren’t you scared, little kunoichi?”

“You certainly have a fascination with calling me ‘little’, you know you’re not so tall yourself. I’m willing to bet you’re the shortest Akatsuki member.” Sakura said dismissively.

Sasori couldn’t help the laugh of irritation that was poorly veiled as amusement. Such a dark sound caused Sakura’s skin to crawl and she wanted to silence it immediately and never hear it again.

“I figured if you wanted to kill me, you’d have already done it. Or does your killing require foreplay?” Sakura grinned at her own innuendo, nudging his foot with her own to get his eye contact. Each time his eyes met hers it exhilarated her. She was beginning to crave that sliver of fear. Her mind flashed back to her masochistic bout the last time she had met him.

Her thoughts betrayed her as some sort of understanding flickered in his vision. He tilted his head a bit, red hair falling as gravity pulled it in a way she wished to tug at it. The idea of it turned her stomach in a vile way. Her toes curled in her socks.

“Perhaps it does. I often get to the task at hand far too quickly. My partner believes that beauty is fleeting. I like to make things last.” Sasori said, making a vague but precise gesture with his hands. “I like to draw out my killings.”

Sakura stared for a moment.

“Well, I can only hope you’ll draw mine out for a couple of years, if that’s what you’re planning.” Sakura informed him. “You see, I have quite a bit to do still.”

“Do you, now? What sort of things?” He narrowed his eyes. “You don’t likely have anything truly important in your life.”

“That’s presumptuous. Not to mention rude.” Sakura huffed, crossing her arms. “I have so many things to do.”

“Like what?” He repeated.

“I have to rescue my friend. He’s currently a missing nin, but I need to bring him home. Then I need to make sure my other friend becomes Hokage. I need to surpass my sensei in poisons and healing.” She listed on her fingers, crossing her legs. His eyes followed the movement.

“Superficial things.” He said. “You leave no true mark behind by doing those things.”

It took a moment for her to process what he said and not outright smack him.

“Not to me,” She said simply. “Those things would make me happy and that’s what matters.”

“I suppose.” He shrugged, not buying it.

“And what about you? You just go around killing and that’s supposed to mean something?” She asked venomously.

“Hmph. You know very little of me, obviously. Any puppet user, uses my puppets.” He said with an air of superiority. “Any puppet user worth anything, that is. I create poisons that cannot be healed.”

“I bet I could find an antidote.” She said confidently, enjoying the small sneer that played on his face. He was becoming awfully expressive.

“I doubt it.” He said, though an idea struck him that he would further call upon later.

“Well, I don’t think anything you’re doing in life will outlive you very long. Sure you’re frightening, and all, but nothing that will last forever.” She smirked now as she was beginning to get under his skin. It was very possible he would kill her for it, but she found she didn’t particularly believe he would. At least not at the moment.

“I have a very long life ahead of me. You, on the other hand, seem like the type to die young.” He warned, grabbing the seat of her chair on either side of her legs. She seemed to stiffen a bit at the invasion of her personal space again. “What do you hope to accomplish with your taunts?”

“What do you hope to accomplish with your own, puppet boy?” She hissed, pretending like the proximity wasn’t pleasurably frightening.

“You’re very, very brave.” He said in a low tone, quiet enough to the point where she was almost wondering if she’d heard it at all. She angled her head forward a bit and locked eyes with him. They stayed like that for a bit before he sat back. “I do mean that. Here you are, barely an adult by any means, barely a shinobi compared to me, and you act as though you could hold your own against myself.”

“Just because you’re old doesn’t mean you’re better than me.” Sakura stated balefully.

“You seem to have sorely mistaken me for a patient man.” Sasori leaned forward a bit more, close enough to truly bother her. “You’ve made a mistake, girl.” He said, hand trailing up to her shoulder where there was a light scar. “I could kill you right now, and no one would know it was me.” His breath ghosted against her neck as he angled his head. A shiver ran through her and she chose silence for a very long pause.

“I’m not a girl. I’m a woman.” She informed him idly.

Sasori sat back, trying to understand why that was relevant. The thought crossed his mind but he furrowed his brow. She looked away, gazing out the window in search for an escape route from his scrutiny. Her lips seemed to want to form words that were better left unspoken. “Do you find me attractive, Sasori?”

He schooled his expression and looked up at her from where he was slouched.

“If I did, what then would you do?” He asked quietly. Sakura hesitated to find his eyes.

“I would ask if you’d like to spend the night.” Her voice was betraying her as there was a slight quake of either excitement or fear.

“Fornicating with the enemy could be considered treason.” He reminded her bluntly. She seemed to recoil at the words in a very slight manner.

“Is that not what they sent me to do initially?” She jested with a worried smile. “That’s all seduction missions are, really.” Her shoulders were tight with tension. Sasori’s grip on her jaw startled her as she hadn’t seen him move. He turned her to face him completely. She seemed to lean forward a bit.

“Do you understand fully what you’re asking?” He asked.

She didn’t trust her voice to be steady so she simply nodded. His eyes narrowed with scrutiny, trying to figure out exactly how he should approach. He felt a thrumming in his blood that craved her. Who was he to deny himself human pleasures while walking among them as one?

Nothing was said when he pulled her out of the chair by the front of her shirt so that she stood in front of him. His hands felt like hot brands on her skin; each touch made her flinch in the smallest of ways.  
  
He noticed the way her muscles tensed and flittered under the brushes of his fingertips. It occurred to him that this very well may be her first sexual encounter as she wasn’t sure what to do standing there. He looked up at her with the cold amber eyes that seemed to scare her.

Hesitantly, she cupped his face, heart picking up in speed until it was almost painful. She was touching the enemy so tenderly and intimately. She entangled her fingers into his hair. It was surprisingly soft as she played with it curiously. She raked her nails against his scalp before gripping his hair tightly in a fist and grinning lightly at the feeling.

Sasori hissed in pain, unbidden by his usual blank expression. He gripped her hips, pulling her a bit closer as she tugged and pulled at his red locks. His nails bit into her skin until she was sure she was bleeding beneath her thin clothes. She didn’t notice the kunai in his hand until it was pressed against her throat in a warning manner. Her eyes flickered to his again.

“I can’t tell if you have a death wish or if you’re just foolish.” He said, feigning his regular bored drone way of speaking, but Sakura noticed a heady quality to it now. She didn’t move away like he thought she would. “Perhaps both, then.” He trailed the knife down to where her breasts just barely formed cleavage in the low-cut shirt. He hooked the knife into the fabric and tore it, a bit surprised she didn’t stop him.

When she answered with vindictive silence, he cut the fabric down the middle, leaving an angry red line in her flesh but not cutting. She bit the inside of her cheek and glared down at him as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her hip bone. She yanked his hair in response and he looked up at her curiously before biting down hard.

She hissed in pain and raked her fingers along his scalp again before pushing him onto his back and crawling to straddle his waist. She took a certain delight in being on top of him in such a controlling manner. She leaned forward.

“Why don’t you wear your cloak, Akatsuki?” She asked idly, gripping the collar of his shirt between both hands and ripping it with strength alone. He glowered at her but was loathe to stop her. “You destroy mine, I destroy yours.” She said, almost innocently.

“You seem to think you have an equality in this.” He hummed, hands trailing along her exposed thighs now. “I am your superior, kunoichi.”

“Believe what you want. You’re not worth trying to convince.” She shrugged, pulling his torn shirt away from him and dragging her nails along his skin. She had done a bit of research on him. Apparently he used puppets and such in combat. It showed. He was athletic, but his muscles were wiry even if they were more defined than she expected and if it came to pure strength, Sakura could overpower him. “In this position I am the superior.”

As soon as the confident words left her mouth he flipped her onto her back.

“How predictable.” She said coyly, as if she had planned it. He narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t know what game you’re trying to play, but you’ll stop it at once.” He told her and began pulling the sliced fabric from her. Admittedly, he didn’t expect her to be all muscle under her clothes. He had fully expected a bit of refinement, but with pudge or something soft to grab onto. That isn’t to say he didn’t find it attractive. Even if he tried to claim such a thing, his actions negated any such thoughts that he would have preferred her to have any other type of body. His teeth nipped at the jittering muscle of her abdomen.

Her hands were in his hair again; he took note of it. When he made eye contact again, she was smirking. She had snaked a thigh up his side and used it to push him onto his back once again, but not without appreciating his grunt of disapproval as she did so. She pinned him this time, hands above his head, held in place with one of her own, painted nails pressing crescents into his wrists. He struggled beneath her, heat rising in his groin. It seemed their encounter would indeed be combat, though he didn’t expect this sort.

Carefully, she trailed her forefinger down his cheek until she traced it along his lips, admiring his finely painted portrait for a moment before she gripped his throat, feeling as thinly veiled feverish breaths left his throat. Despite his controlled expression, she could tell he was excited by his pulse. Her hand gripped along his chest and abdomen until she curiously felt along his hips and pelvis. Sakura wasn’t ashamed of her exploration. After all, if she was going to do this, she would do it her own way.

“I see, you’re a tease then.” He said lowly. His voice sent a shiver up her spine as she heard menacing intent in it.

“Mm. I don’t know yet.” She shrugged, relaxing her hold just enough for him to slip out of. He grabbed her thighs to the point of it being painful and sat up, pushing her back a bit. His lips were on her neck. “Don’t kiss me.” She cautioned.

He rose a brow in a question he didn’t feel bothered to ask. He bit instead, earning a slight whimper of lust. He left a trail of painful bites down to her breast band, where he unwound the bandages before gnashing the delicate flesh between rows of straight teeth. She scratched idly at his shoulders and back enough to cause subcutaneous bleeding. She had sneakily summoned a bit of chakra to aid her in tearing the lower levels of dermis without actually breaking the surface.

The groan of pain she was rewarded with was enough to make her continue, but he grabbed her wrists.

“Stop that.” He insisted and brushed his hands along her sides until he came to her skin-tight shorts. She was unsure where he had set it and retained it, but he was holding his kunai once again. “Don’t move.” He warned, but there was a playful lilt to his voice.

She felt the metal press against her skin, barely protected by the cotton fabric. The tip of the knife danced around her skin and she found herself tilting her head back and closing her eyes, enjoying the fearful feeling of it. It created small tears in her skin but didn’t product any blood. He cut her shorts as well, discarding them and setting the knife down. Sasori took a moment to gaze at the sight provided.

Briefly, he was reminded of his quarrels with his partner over what beauty was. He determined that his own beliefs were correct as he traced his fingers over the creamy flesh she provided him. His eyes narrowed. He’d most certainly kill her and keep her as a doll at one point or another. She was almost ethereal as he saw her now.

As if sensing his thoughts, she glared at him.

His eyes found hers again and he gripped her ass tightly, distracting her from his intent. The distraction seemed to work because she began to fidget with the fastener of his pants. Sensing her nervousness, he assisted her and shifted the two of them once again so that she was underneath him. This time when she hooked her legs on him, she didn’t try to regain dominance over him.

“I’m assuming this is going to be your first time?” Sasori said flatly, uninterested in a way.

“Yes,” She grimaced up at him.

“I won’t be accommodating.” He told her.

“I don’t care.” She returned, breath hitching in her throat as she felt him press against her panties.

He was genuinely surprised to find her wet. He hadn’t been gentle. He hadn’t been passionate. If anything, he had been harmful. Yet here she was, soaking through the thin barrier of her underwear. He pushed it aside and dipped one finger into her, narrowing his eyes when he felt how tight she was. It sparked something in him, but he was slow, despite what he told her.

She arched her back as he carefully moved a second digit into her, curling them in a way she didn’t know about. He started softly, but to test a theory he began to treat her with a bit less delicacy. As expected, she responded better to that, so sensing that she was ready enough, he pulled his pants down haphazardly.

Sakura bit her lip and peaked between where their bodies separated. Of course, being a medic she had seen genitalia of the opposite gender, but now it seemed different. She looked up to him again where he held her prisoner with a cruel stare. She hadn’t been previously aware someone could look so terrifying in such an intimate setting.

There was no tenderness to his touch, nor his expression. He almost seemed bored. She would have believed that to be true if not for the way he was hard and the way his breathing was elevated just a bit above normal. She reached up hesitantly and laced her fingers together behind his neck, a mockery of a loving embrace.

He pressed against her, rubbing for a moment before slowly entering her. Despite himself, he groaned in pleasure as he gripped her hips and slowly picked up his pace until he was pumping in and out of her rough enough to be painful.

At first she moaned lightly, but when he began to become more careless, she was writhing beneath him.

This time when she scraped her nails along his back, she didn’t hesitate to draw blood. He hissed in pain and gripped her throat in retaliation, but that didn’t frighten her as he thought it would. He stared at her for a moment before squeezing primarily on the sides of her throat rather than crushing her windpipe.

She shut her eyes in pleasure, enjoying the feeling of numbness that washed over her.

Truly, she was horrified that he may then decide to kill her, but she didn’t do anything to stop him. There was some sort of misplaced trust between them. After all, she could injure him at any given time, more so than bleeding scratches on his back.

When his grip lightened she found herself gasping for air. She looked up at him and struck him hard across the face. He let out a little chuckle and grabbed her by the hair as she fisted her own hand in his.

Their intercourse soon became violent and soon Sakura was on top, grinding her hips against him in a motion that made him groan with pleasure. She had bit and scratched and gripped him so tightly that she had blood all over her hands and soaking into the sheets. There were blooming bruises scattered over his torso and she leaned down to bite and lick each one as they formed.

Similarly, he had taken the opportunity to leave her with a mark to remember him by. Grabbing the kunai from where he had tossed it into the headboard, he held it to her ribcage and looked up at her, licking his lips in anticipation. She gave a little nod and slowed to a still. He placed one hand to steady her while the knife drew blood from her that dripped down to her thighs and where their bodies connected.

She hissed in pain, gripping his hips until he was worried she would crack the bone under her palm. He ran his thumb over the cut, eliciting a gasp as she glared at him. He smirked and dug around, disturbing the crude carving of his name. She looked down at him and gave him a very dark look. She snatched the knife from him and pointed it against his collar bone.

“I think we need to match.” She said lowly and began to carve her own name into his flesh. Her hand was much more delicate; the way she would hold a scalpel. She drew a mocking little heart next to the last ‘a’ and grinned down at him.

Now that they were both covered in each other’s blood, Sakura began to move once again, hands dancing along his torso before smearing blood along his cheek. She leaned down and licked it from his skin, heart pounding loudly in her ears. She remained there, hands on either side of his head as her pink hair curtained around them.

She reached climax first, gripping his hair and pulling so hard that a bit came out. He gritted his teeth and dug his fingers into her hips to make sure she continued her movement. A smirk crossed her features that caused dread to bubble up in him. She jerked away from him, denying him his pleasurable end. He growled and tossed her underneath him now, grabbing her by her throat as he entered her again.

“Don’t fucking do that.” He whispered resentfully as he choked her once again so that she wouldn’t have that inhuman strength of hers to top him now. He disregarded her glare as he came upon his own climax, stilling inside of her and still holding her tightly in place. She moaned against his neck, burying her nose there. She bit again, causing him to jump lightly as he came inside of her, pressing her heavily into the sheets as he relaxed a bit against her.

The grip on her throat lightened and they laid there for a long moment, collectively trying to gain the energy to move. Sasori collapsed on the bed next to her and she turned her back to move away from him, but he tugged her up against him. She made a noise of protest at the post-coitus cuddling, but he gave her a look.

“I gave you what you want, now indulge me. I crave human affection.” He said flatly, almost clinically despite the subject.

“Fine.” She said and hesitantly returned the gesture. She curled up at his side and set her head on his chest, not caring about how blood tinted her pink hair or smeared her lightly sweaty skin. The silence was oddly comforting. Without moving her too much, Sasori managed to reach his pants and pulled out the pack of clove cigarettes. “Those are going to kill you. Perhaps before I do.”

Sasori couldn’t help the grin that tugged at his lips. He passed one to her and lit it for her before lighting his own and setting the pack on the nightstand. The hand of the shoulder she laid her head on came up and slowly worked knots out of her unkempt hair. She relaxed a bit at the feeling as she smoked, tapping the ashes out onto the nightstand’s lacquered surface.

“So, I’m assuming you used me so that when you have to go through with the worst part of a seduction mission, it wouldn’t have been your virginity being taken.” He broke the silence, blowing smoke into her face when she didn’t answer. She huffed and pinched a particularly deep scratch on his side.

“Yes.” She said honestly. “You’re probably one of the handsomest men I’ve met. Your looks might even rival the one I love.” She laughed quietly, amused by the absurdity.

“Why didn’t you fuck him instead?” Sasori asked, looking down at her almost with concern.

“He’s a missing nin, I said that before.” She shifted positions so that she was on her back as well, counting dimples in the ceiling. She took a long drag before attempting to say the name. It couldn’t leave her tongue so she compromised. “Uchiha Itachi’s younger brother. We were teammates. I’m in love with him.”

“Ah. Itachi’s kid brother…” Sasori repeated, narrowing his eyes as though it would help him remember. He couldn’t conjure a face, but he knew of the boy. “He’s with Orochimaru, right?”

“Yes.” The word hurt her. “I’m going to save him one day. With my friends’ help.”

“Teammates with Sasuke.” Sasori said. “That must make you Haruno Sakura, and your friend Uzumaki Naruto.”

“I won’t go with you, if you try to kidnap me and use me as a bargaining chip to get Naruto.” Sakura said flatly. Sasori rose a brow.

“Don’t flatter yourself. I can’t stand you.” Sasori huffed, putting his cigarette out and using his now free arm to tug her closer, like she hadn’t practically read what his mind conjured up what to do with her. “I wouldn’t want to bring you anywhere with me.”

“Likewise.” Sakura rolled her eyes. “Though I should probably kill you and bring your head back or something, right?”

“You’re a little late to try.” Sasori tilted his head, still idly playing with her hair.

“You’re probably right.” She purred, craning her neck to give him better access. She didn’t mind having her hair played with at all. She hadn’t noticed when she did it, but she was tracing patterns on his scratches, occasionally pressing into the marks she had given him.

“Sakura’s a pretty name, if not a bit ostentatious, given your hair color and eye color.” He said, looking down at her. She gave him a look.

“What kind of name is ‘Sasori of the Red Sand’? No surname?” She asked. “I hope you don’t expect me to call you that. Hiruko is a nicer name for you. Alias or otherwise.”

“I care little of your opinion, Konoha nin.” He reached down and grabbed the sheets to cover them with as the room began to grow chilly now that they both cooled down. “I will sleep here next to you and we will part in the morning.” He informed her. She glared, but cuddled closer and tucked the sheet under her chin.

That night, Sakura dreamed of sand and puppets and blood.


	3. Adventures in Antidotes

“ _Sasori_ , my man.” Deidara hummed, waving his hand rudely in front of Hiruko’s etched scowl. “You didn’t answer me.”

“I wasn’t listening.” Sasori growled, voice coming out guttural and rough, filtered through the puppet armor.

“I said, if we stop at this inn, will it make us late? I’m tired, yeah?” Deidara sighed loudly.

There was a long pause. “It won’t make us late if we leave early in the morning.” Sasori said. He wanted to stretch out as well. This human body was exhausting, and though he had a puppet body ready… Perhaps he had grown sentimental, as he decided to stay as a human just a while longer. There were certain pleasures he didn’t get as a puppet, and though he wouldn’t want for those things once he transferred his heart again, he determined he had all the time in the world already, so why not spend some time occasionally with a particular kunoichi that had interested him.

“This one?” Deidara kicked Hiruko lightly to get Sasori’s attention again.

“I don’t care which one.” Sasori said.

“This one.” Deidara decided in an all too chipper voice. He opened the door, causing the man behind the desk to flinch as he recognized the pattern on the robe. “Two rooms!” He yelled, slamming money on the front desk and tapping the bell, despite the owner already looking at him. He gave a charming smile.

  
“We don’t have any rooms available right now.” The owner lied, voice quaking as he looked between Deidara and Hiruko.

“Don’t bullshit me, un.” Deidara gestured to the peg board of keys. “Give us a room.”

“R-Right, sorry.” The man stammered, counting the money. “This is only enough for one room.”

“Are all conversations you hold this tedious? Whatever! Just give me the damn key!” Deidara yelled, palm outstretched.

The man stared with wide eyes at the mouth on Deidara’s hand. He hesitantly sat the key in it, afraid it might bite him if he wasn’t quick about it. The man pulled his hand back after that quickly and filed away the money.

“And what about you, huh?” Deidara turned to Sasori as they walked down the short hallway to their room. “You could’ve hit him with that ‘don’t waste my time’, ‘time is precious’, ‘don’t make us wait any longer, I hate waiting’, nonsense!” Deidara lowered his voice to mimick Sasori’s.

As soon as they were in the room, Sasori released a latch and emerged from Hiruko like a cicada leaving its skin attached to the bark of a tree. Sasori stretched graciously and stepped out.

“Do not mock me. I’ll turn you into one of my weapons.” Sasori said flatly, not bothering to find a better threat. He didn’t really care about what Deidara was saying, he just wanted him to stop saying it. Despite the other members being a better fit, in his opinion, Sasori got stuck with Deidara. He would have preferred someone quiet, reserved even. Itachi would be ideal, but Kakuzu wasn’t bad company.

“Whatever.” Deidara deadpanned and took his hair down, rubbing his scalp from where the high pony tail had tugged his hair all day. He looked at Sasori’s back curiously as he divested himself of his shirt. He had a bandage on his collar bone. How hadn’t he noticed that before? “What’d you do?”

“It’s none of your business. Stop talking.” Sasori looked over his shoulder at him and dug through Hiruko. The puppet had a small place in the torso for storing poisons. He grabbed a couple of ingredients and his log book where he had a record of every poison he had made before. He needed to find something to challenge Sakura and to get her attention. It had been three months since they saw each other. Sasori had hoped she would seek him out. Apparently, she left him to make the first move.

“That only makes me want to know more, idiot.” Deidara groaned and pushed the empty puppet armor aside. “I’m getting in the shower. You should too, you smell like ass.”

Sasori only glowered at Deidara’s retreating form as he disappeared into the door way of their small restroom and shower. He sat on the window seal, thumbing through the pages and looking at each poison with a keen eye.

“This should do it. Perhaps I should alter it a bit… yes, that way the only antidote that would work will have to be reddish in color.” Sasori muttered to himself, a nasty habit he had picked up from Konan when he first joined. “She’ll have to make quick work of it. How many people? Hm…”

Sasori stood up and paced, legs eager to be stretched from where they were cramped in Hiruko all day. His face contorted lightly with something akin to amusement. As he heard the shower cut on he decided it was finally time to change the bandage. He wasn’t sure what that bitch did, but the wound wasn’t healing. It hurt immensely and wouldn’t close no matter what he tried. It was almost like he was infected or poisoned, but he could find no such cause.

He sighed and unwrapped the bandages, letting them fall into the trash can. He thumbed over the cuts, admiring them in the mirror. They were delicate and curved so expertly, by a hand that regularly sliced flesh with such precision. He assumed that as well as medical nin, she was training to become a surgeon of some sort or another. Sasori let out a sigh when he heard Deidara yell something. A tad too late he noticed the tiny white spider-esque creature crawling on the wall. No doubt it was one of Deidara's hideous creations, set out with the purpose to spy on him.

“Who the fuck is Sakura?!” Deidara yelled. Sasori couldn’t determine whether it was pride or jealousy he detected in Deidara’s voice.

“None of your business.” Sasori rolled his eyes, spreading a salve over the wound and bandaging it.

“When did that happen? Did you put it there yourself? You’re that creepy, yeah?” Deidara asked, darting from the bathroom, only covering himself in a towel. Sasori glared at him, unaffected by his partner’s near nudity.

“It’s wild how you don’t understand the phrase: ‘none of your business.’” Sasori said evenly.

“Was it when you were in Kiri? Is that why you insisted on going alone?” Deidara asked, smirking. “Was she hot?”

“Fine.” Sasori relented, realizing that brushing Deidara off wouldn’t work. “Yes, and yes, and lastly, no.”

“Then why’d you carve her name in you? Gross.” Deidara laughed, sitting down for story time. Sasori narrowed his eyes before flipping him off and turning back to his poisons. “Come oooooon.” He whined. “Just tell me.”

“You have no dignity.” Sasori growled.

“Right.” Deidara nodded.

“I met her when we were in River.” Sasori grimaced. “She was entertaining. Not ‘hot’, but beautiful.”

“Semantics.” Deidara waved with a hand. “So what? I can’t imagine she’d want you willingly once you opened your mouth. Are you a rapist? That'd be super gross.”

“I could say the same about you.” Sasori’s eyes hardened for a moment and he circled something in the book. "I'm not a rapist, Deidara."

“Oh please, I’m sexy enough that even if for whatever reason I weren’t charming, I’d still pull more men and women than you could hope for. Besides, you’re old now!” Deidara laughed. “You don’t look as young as when you’re in your other body.”

Sasori ignored his words and summoned a few ingredients from a scroll to begin working on the poison.

  
“So, Sakura was her name?” He continued.

“Yes.” Sasori said, a bit louder. Deidara really was annoying. “Her name is Sakura, we fucked. She carved her name in me.” He cleared up. “I put my own symbol on her. I hardly see how this is any of your business.”

“I’m just curious, you dick.” Deidara hissed. “Plus I’m bored. You aren’t a great conversationist, yeah.”

“I’m excellent at conversation, I just don’t like you.” Sasori said with a straight face as he finished concocting the poison. He pulled out a rather thick bingo book. One that Kakuzu carried. It not only had the most wanted, but all of the missing nin to date. Perhaps it was jealousy, Sasori would admit. But as he dug through the profiles, he circled those missing nin who looked like Sasuke, and were about his age. He would use them to taunt her while he gave her this poison to cure. “Get some sleep. We’re going to Konoha tomorrow and you’ll have to maintain a henge.”

“Who died and made you leader?” Deidara grumbled but used the towel covering him to dry his hair. “We’re a team, you can’t boss me around.”

“Why are you being purposefully difficult? Do you not want a chance to grab the Nine Tails?” Sasori asked with a sigh. “You can scout the village for Uzumaki Naruto, while I make a venture of my own.”

“So this Sakura is from Konoha? I wonder if she _knows_ the Jinchuriki…” Deidara sat down on the bed, crossing his ankle over his knee as he went about braiding his hair to avoid waking up to a mess.

“She does.” Sasori said after a moment. “But as of right now, she’s under my protection, which means you won’t so much as look at her.”

“Your protection?” Deidara echoed. “Oh man, you must be in love. Can someone as fucked up as you even love? You’re a grade-A sociopath, my man.”

“Sociopath,” Sasori spat the word as it left a bad taste in his mouth. “What was it you said earlier? ‘Semantics’.” He hissed. “I don’t love her. I told you, she’s entertainment. It’s difficult to come by with such dull company as your own.”

“There’s no semantics when it comes to facts.” He waved a finger at Sasori. “You’re in denial about what you are. Embrace it! Like me! I’m what my dearest parents called a ‘psychopath’! Gods rest their souls.” He smirked, pointing his thumb at himself proudly.

“There’s no pride in blowing up your parents. You’re an idiot.” Sasori growled.

Deidara sucked in air through his teeth. “Ah, I forgot your parents were slaughtered by a Konoha nin! Hey, do you think that Sakura girl knows the man that did it? If she’s desperate enough to open her legs for you, I bet she slept with that guy too.”

“When you become useless to the Akatsuki, I am going to kill you and replace you with a better partner.” Sasori glared and laid down on the other side of the bed. “Perhaps even before you become useless. If I replace you myself, Leader won’t be too mad at me.”

“You couldn’t kill me if you tried, my man.” Deidara said mockingly but let out an unnecessarily loud yawn.

“Presumptuous.” Sasori managed through a quickening sleep-laden voice as he laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

Deidara had said something else, but it was lost to Sasori as his eye lids drooped just a bit further and he fell asleep.

The thing he missed the most about his human body was dreaming. He very much enjoyed the illogical trips in nonsense, despite his stony façade. That night his dreams were haunted by the unwelcome scent of the distraction he had thought about so often recently. His eyes were tinted with a shade of pink that he hated. A smile crept onto his lips and he found himself touching the unhealing wound.

“Perhaps she’ll be able to heal it.” Sasori hummed as he woke up to the intrusive rustling of Deidara sprawling across the bed and snoring. He glared down at his partner. The snoring stopped and he quirked a brow as he no longer heard Deidara’s obnoxious breathing. He sat there a moment, brows knit.

…

Deidara’s snore resumed once again and Sasori made a face. He’d get blamed if the idiot died in his sleep.

“How are you even alive? You’re too stupid to breathe.” Sasori hissed and kicked Deidara in the knee before getting out of bed. The heavy sleep just rolled over, snoring in intervals as for whatever reason. “Get up.” Sasori yanked the pillow out from under Deidara before slamming it over the blonde’s face.

“Fuck you!” Deidara shouted into the pillow, thrashing around before sitting up and throwing the pillow at Sasori. “What the hell?!”

“I tried to wake you up gently.” Sasori shrugged. “Get ready. Morning light is already beginning.” Sasori pointed to the crack in the curtains. Deidara grumbled but complied, pulling his pants on before stretching out. “We’ll be collecting a few people before we go in. Listen to me carefully.” Sasori grabbed Deidara’s bare shoulders and whirled him around, glaring at him furiously. “Don’t blow them all the way up. They need to be alive.”

“Do you want to tell me about this plan of yours?” Deidara asked, shrugging his hands off and pointing at him accusingly. “Or this girl of yours? Is she important in any way other than you putting your old ass dick in something, yeah?”

“She’s vital.” Sasori lied. He wouldn’t tell Deidara that he was simply playing a game with the girl. “She could ultimately help capture the Jinchuriki, but first I need to test her ability. She says she’s proficient in poison. I doubt it.”

“Fine. Whatever. It’s better than going to the desert.” Deidara sighed and loosed his braid before putting his now slightly wavy hair up in a ponytail once again. "I'll bet that Uchiha bastard will get really mad when I get his jinchuriki, un." He smirked.

The two continued to get ready in relative silence. Sasori glared down at his puppet armor before storing it in a scroll that he attached to his back. Deidara grinned at him but he ignored it as he headed out ahead of his partner. He’d be damned if he was going to waste any time waiting on him to get ready. Deidara would catch up.

Out of all the poison candidates, some were harder to find than others, but they were all essentially easy to round up. He had to time their releases correctly. He didn’t want the poison to kill them before they got to Sakura, after all.

* * *

 

“Get the hell out of my way!” Sakura belted, shoving some poor intern out of her path as she made her way over to the patient lying prone on the bed. “This one too?!” Sakura growled, opening the boy’s eyelid and watching as his eye trembled, dilating and shrinking rapidly in a way that caused hemorrhaging in his eyes. She hissed in frustration.

Her hands flew to his abdomen where the stab wound was. The same as the other two boys. She pulled back the bandages and looked at the way the skin festered and dissolved with such a slow movement her eyes couldn’t quite pick up on it, but could recognize the progression. What's worse was that the three boys looked almost exactly alike. This was a coordinated effort.

“What’s his name?” Sakura asked lowly. The nurses and other medical nin were all but quaking in fear.

“H-Hideko Maturi.” One stammered, holding a file. “He’s a missing nin from Kiri. A chunin. This one literally came wrapped up in a bow. An actual bow.”

Sakura’s face contorted with pure rage as she barely restrained herself. She turned her fury to the wall. She knew that breaking things didn’t help, but she hoped her wrath wouldn’t be reprimanded too much. With Tsunade gone on a foreign relations trip and Shizune nowhere to be seen, it was up to Sakura to not only watch after the hospital, but to take charge of this particular situation.

“Someone’s messing with us.” She said, gathering herself now that her knuckles were bleeding. She didn’t bother healing them. “Get me samples of the poison from all three of the—“

“We have another one!” A nurse called, wheeling someone in to the poison ward.

“Fuck!” Sakura shouted, rage renewing. She took a few deep breaths. She was no use if she was angry. “Samples. Lab. Now.” She managed, storming off. Her feet worked before her mind did and she found herself where she needed to be. There was already a sample sitting on her desk. She narrowed her eyes and picked it up. Her brow furrowed as the tag only held a tribal scorpion symbol.

…

  
“Ah.”

Sakura pulled her shirt up and matched it to the scar she had kept fondly of Sasori’s carving.

“Fuck!!”

She’d never cursed so much in her life.

Sakura looked around to make sure he wasn’t there before she got to work, breaking down the components of the poison and analyzing each ingredient and how it interacted. There was one ingredient she hadn’t been able to identify, so she assumed it was from somewhere very far away.

It took a while, but she managed to extract a couple of compounds, not quite able to separate them, but able to pull them apart enough to cure each one individually until she was left with that one chemical she couldn’t figure out. Everything else had neutralized except that stubborn thing.

She should have expected it to be difficult. He was messing with her, after all.

As she thumbed through a complete catalogue of every known plant extract with poisonous effects, her mind wandered. He was gifting her missing nin that all had black hair and black eyes, roughly Sasuke’s age and height. Something vile coiled in her stomach. What exactly was he getting at? Was he helping or trying to hurt her?

Sakura nearly jumped when an intern came in with a few more samples.

“Sakura-sama?” He meekly asked.

“What is it?” She turned and looked at him, holding the book.

“We’ve got six now.” He said quietly.

“Thank you for letting me know.” Sakura said, rage assuaged by fascination and curiosity.

“My shift is up in 15 minutes; do I have permission to go home?” His words were hesitant and careful.

“Yes. Get some sleep. Can you come in early tomorrow?” She asked, remembering Shizune would be late to work as she supposed to meet with the council in the morning in Tsunade's stead. Something about Naruto's approaching return to the village.

“I can. How early?” He dreaded, but grimaced through it.

“8 am.” Sakura decided carefully. She turned now and narrowed her eyes on the poison as it began to sizzle. She hadn’t realized she was leaking chakra into it. Though upon further examination, that seemed to neutralize the last component. “Hm.” She hummed and waved away the intern, who left quickly. “Suck it, Sasori.” She said with a bit of conviction. “You aren’t that great.” She decided as she put a few antidotes together as well as instructions on introducing healing chakra into the body once the antidote was administered. 

Six?

Damn.

She made ten just in case and went down to the poison ward. After making her way to each missing nin who were all being processed through paper work and bound to their beds by the police force. She cured each one, taking note how they all fit the ‘Sasuke’ mold Sasori had apparently decided on.

As the last one began to relax, pain gone from his system, Sakura glanced at the clock on the wall. She’d stayed three hours over. A smirk played at her lips. The poison had been easy to cure in the end, compared to what she expected of Sasori. She wondered if that was one he would use in battle. She sighed. In the back of her mind, she thought maybe it was just one of his easier poisons.

Logically, she ought to come clean and let someone know about the crazed Akatsuki puppet boy she’d slept with. Unfortunately, that would have certain drawbacks for her.

Like exile. Or execution. Did they still execute for treason? Sakura's face contorted with a grimace. She couldn't remember the last time someone betrayed the village and lived happily ever after in exile...

She walked to the office she received a desk in with Shizune and hung up her lab coat. Ever since Naruto had been away and the lands had been at relative peace, she’d been taking less missions and picked up more shifts in the hospital to hone her medical skills. Shizune was even training her in surgery after learning of her interest in one day retiring from missions to the hospital when she became too old to work as a shinobi.

“Sakura-sama!” A worried knock came. “W-We have a more urgent patient! He isn’t responding to the antidote!”

Sakura whipped her head around. _A separate poison or special case?_ She threw her lab coat back on and stormed after the nurse as she led her to the ward. She could have choked when she saw him. Of course, he had some sort of henge up, but there was no mistaking those piercing eyes.

When she saw him he gave a deadly smirk. Luckily, the nurse at his side had turned away to prepare another dose of the antidote. His face fell to that of pain and he hissed as the shaking nurse jammed the needle into his thigh. He slapped her hands away.

“Let the real doctor do it, you useless waste of air—“ Sasori jolted when a clipboard connected with his head. He grabbed it and glared lethally at Sakura.

“You’ll well to mind your tongue around my fellow staff!” Sakura asserted, then looked kindly at the nurse. She ignored the under-the-breath comment about bedside manner. “Do we have a profile on this one?”

“N-No record available, ma’am.” The nurse stammered, holding her stinging hand and looking warily between Sakura and Sasori.

“Thank you. I’ll start one, then. Please, take a break.” Sakura’s smile wavered and despite the nurse’s protest, she knew there was no arguing. The woman skittered off, not wishing to deal with anything else regarding her superior or the rude patient.

As the nurse shut the door to the private room, Sasori grinned at Sakura maniacally. He hadn’t been aware of the poison’s effect on the brain, and now he was experiencing it first-hand.

“How beautiful.” Sasori purred, leaning forward and grabbing Sakura’s hands. “It took you long enough.”  
  
“You aren’t yourself, _don’t_ touch me.” Sakura pulled her hands out of his grip. She noticed how cold his hands were. “Why isn’t my antidote working?” She ignored the way he scratched at his thigh where the nurse had administered the antidote twice.

“Mm, maybe you aren’t as good as you thought you were, dearest Sakura.” Sasori tilted his head, admiring the visible curve of her calf up to her thigh. Sakura whapped him on the head once more with her clip board. He frowned and put a hand up to his head. 

“And what are we going to call you then?” Sakura crossed her arms, glaring down at him hatefully. He sneered and fell back against the sheets when he realized he wouldn’t be getting any special treatment.

“Hiruko, from Iwa or wherever.” Sasori glowered at the ceiling as though it had personally wronged him. He didn’t have the time to thing as he was cuffed to the railing with chakra binding hand cuffs. “And why do you have these?” He smirked at her.

“Not for sexual reasons.” She tapped the railing with her pen after writing down his summary into paperwork. “For _creepy stalkers like yourself_ who decide they have the right to waltz into Konoha to get my attention.”

“I didn't waltz, I walked and how do you know you’re the reason? Don’t flatter yourself, Sakura. I could be here for Naruto.” Sasori shrugged, thinking about anything he had on his person that would help him pick the lock.

“Because you’re here in my hospital.” She gestured around them. “With a case of poison I can only assume was self-administered.”

“You’re correct.” He smiled proudly. Sakura didn’t like the sight of his smile one bit. It made her shiver.

“ _You’re_ crazy. I ought to let you die of it.” Sakura narrowed her eyes. That would do everyone best. He, a member of the Akatsuki, enemy of their village, would be dead and no one would know of their torrid little secret, so she would be free of that mental shackle.

“You won’t. You need me.” Sasori decided, closing his eyes.

“And what makes you think that, exactly?” Sakura hissed.

“When all is said and done, when the upcoming conflict is over, when you realize Sasuke wants nothing to do with you, when Naruto is dead, you will have no one but me to run to.” He said, each word leaving her more hollow and angry than the last. She stood there for a moment, not certain how to respond for a moment.

Her wide eyes betrayed no emotion other than shock at the audacity he showed. Her fingers twitched and before she knew was happening, her pen was jammed between his ribs and she was smiling at him balefully. He flinched but gritted his teeth.

“You’re already mostly broken, Sakura.” He whispered, staring up at her almost regretfully. “I know the look in your eyes.” His voice betrayed something desperate. “I know why you’re dissatisfied with the life that once made you so happy. You’re not looking for Sasuke, you’re looking for a reason to go on.”

Sakura’s lip curled up, revealing her teeth, not unlike a predator.

“I should let you die.” She whispered back, hand falling to his throat. He stared up at her passively as the poison’s temporary high began to wear off. She sneered and yanked the pen out, healing it long enough to only stop the bleeding. She looked away from his stare as she checked his temperature, his pulse, his other vitals. She cast a medical ninjustu, whispering the signs as she did them.

She splayed her hands over his chest.

“The antidote is already in your system, so I’ll just give it a little boost.”

“Smart girl.” He hummed, tone bored.

“Don’t get me wrong, I want nothing to do with you.”

“Likewise, Konoha nin.”

“It seems you’ve adjusted from your manic state.”

“It seems.” He affirmed lightly. He had full memory of what he said, and though the words didn’t leave his mouth, he didn’t regret those statements. She was indeed broken. She always would be, no matter what farce she attached herself to in an attempt to mimic those happy ones around her.

“Your blood is free of the toxin. Leave.” She opened the window over his bed. She unlocked his cuffs and pocketed them. She'd always kept them for patients she deemed dangerous.

“Come with me.” Sasori returned, standing up with a bit of difficulty. “You’d be safe. I wouldn’t personally hurt your friends.” He said tersely. “Though I wouldn’t stop my associates from such actions.”

Sakura tilted her head, narrowing her eyes.

“Which reminds me.” He pointed to her name on his chest. “What did you do?”

“That doesn’t correlate.” Sakura crossed her arms.

“Don’t be purposely obtuse.”

“Don’t say weird things to me like 'come with me'. What do you think we are? Star-crossed lovers?”

“You’re tedious.” Sasori hissed.

“You’re an asshole.” She cocked her head.

“Do you always have to have the last word?”

“Yes.” She smirked as she saw he was becoming annoyed. “And all I did was made sure I would be the only one to heal it. I’ve infected it with my chakra signature.” She shrugged. “It was my way of making sure you would need me in the future.” She admitted after a moment.

“You’re as twisted as you think I am.” He laughed after a moment. Sakura recoiled. His laugh was mirthful but vile and grating to her ears. It was a good sound, melodic in a way, but it meant nothing good.

“I’m an upstanding citizen of Konoha, loyal, merciful, and-and above all—loyal.” She stammered. “Now get the hell out of my clinic before I hit you.”

“You know I like when you hit me.” Sasori hummed and ducked out of the window as her fist followed his form. He couldn’t help his grin as he walked out of the village, taking a path that wouldn’t lead him to any sort of guard. He thought about where she lived. One day he’d like to see the place himself. He shook his head and frowned at the thought. No, he was just craving human affection again. This body was more trouble than it was worth, but it provided entertainment during these dull times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woowee. Would you look at that! Sorry for the sparse updates! Work is work is work amirite. Let me know what you guys think and where you want to see this go! I have an idea of how it will end, but I'm not entirely sure yet.


	4. Second Endeavor

Hollow was the only way she could describe it. She laid in her bed, staring out of the slightly open window. Her pink hair fanned out around her in a mockery of a halo she would never wear. Her eyes drifted dully to the bright red numbers of her alarm clock. 2:07 AM.

She thought maybe she would be able to get back to sleep, but somewhere in her mind she knew it wasn’t to be, so she sat up. She pressed her warm cheek against the cold window and shut her eyes for a moment.

Naruto had just returned. She hadn’t realized how much she missed Team Seven. Even with him back though, perhaps the hole in her heart had gotten bigger. She angrily shoved her blankets aside. She got dressed and pulled her hair back instead of brushing it. Her feet led her to the door where she slipped her shoes on and turned to look at the door of her parents’ bedroom. She wouldn’t wake them. They had civilian lives to deal with first thing in the morning. Something she thought was worse than death.

“I’m going out.” She whispered whimsically and gave herself a small grin. “Be back later.”

Sakura stepped foot into the empty night, vaguely aware of the lurking guards of the city who watched diligently over the civilian quarter. She wondered if Naruto was sleeping well.

Of course he was. They had spent all night partying and celebrating his return. Sakura smiled lightly. Tsunade had inexplicably picked up the bill, happy to drink with the Konoha Eleven. Sakura’s bones felt cold in her warm skin, out of place. Something terrible was about to happen.

She felt her breath ghost into a fog as the temperature steadily dropped with the night. It was odd to have this type of weather. She grimaced, silently chastising herself for not thinking to bring a jacket. She looked up at the sky as she walked. Her eyes wandered along the roof tops, occasionally spotting a guard.

“Walking alone?” A voice piped up behind her.

“Ah, Kakashi-sensei.” She hummed, waving lightly. Kakashi treaded up beside her. He smiled down at her. “What are you doing out at this hour?”

“Protecting the good of Konoha.” Kakashi muttered. "Or walking the path of life."

“So, by that, you mean stayed up all night reading and couldn’t get back to sleep?” Sakura asked, brow raised suspiciously. When he began to laugh, she joined in.

“I miss the days when you and Naruto would look up at me like I was a hero.” Kakashi admitted, veiled in humor, but Sakura knew there was a lot of truth behind it. She nudged him with her elbow. "Now you see me as some joke."

“You are a hero.” She asserted quietly. “Just not _my_ hero.” She nodded.

“Sakura, no one could ever be your hero.” Kakashi said flatly.

Sakura laughed, but there was a stinging edge to it. Maybe that was why she was so depressed? That realization.

“So, who was your friend the other day? The—oh who was it… the file said ‘Hiruko’ from Iwa?” Kakashi questioned. “Out of all the poison victims, he was the only one who wasn’t missing nin.”

“I found it odd, too.” Sakura nodded. “But his photograph was nowhere in any of the bingo books, our records, or the Hokage’s records. I looked into it, Kakashi-sensei. I’m not an idiot.”

“Sorry, sorry.” He held up his hands in a placating manner. Sakura looked distant. “I’ll admit, I was worried. You looked so shaken up and then after that practically drank the bar dry.”

“It was a difficult and frankly, frightening poison. It was rotting those boys from the inside out.” Sakura said after a moment, then lowered her head. "Only a maniac could have created it."

“You noticed it. They all looked like him.” Kakashi said. “Allow me to look into the poison, please.”

“I’ve already looked into it. I have reason to believe whoever concocted it was from Kiri, as most of the ingredients came from there.” Sakura sighed, fidgeting with the edge of her shirt. Kakashi didn’t fail to notice her nervousness. “Do you ever get a pit of dread in your stomach? Like you know something horrible is about to happen—but there’s nothing you can do to stop it? Like everything you worked so hard for would just--… Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to unload on you.”

“You’ve been anxious lately.” Kakashi looked at her as they continued to walk with no real direction. “There’s no shame in… say going to the Yamanaka clinic? They are discreet. Many nin go there for therapy.”

“Did _you?”_ Sakura asked, knowingly.

Kakashi was thankful for the combination of the dark and his mask, because then she couldn’t see how his face contorted in a hurt manner.

“No.” His voice was even, calculated. Sakura couldn’t help the feeling that she had just created an irreparable rift between the two of them. Her green eyes followed the road ahead of them. They had somehow found themselves at the cemetery. “Did you lead me here?”

“I think I led both of us here.” Sakura said, staring at him. “I apologize. You don’t have to stay.”

“I think I would like to stay. What business do you have here?” He asked. It seemed rude but the two knew each other well enough to not take offense to it.

“Not sure.” Sakura shrugged carefully and looked around. They began to wander again, the blanket of night doing nothing to ease their mutual unsettle.

They next came upon the memorial stone.

“Do you remember the bell test?” Sakura asked. She heard Kakashi huff in amusement.

“I remember you embarrassing yourself, head over heels for Sasuke.” He grinned down at her.

“Shove it.” She warned, then looked back at the stone. “I remember Naruto yelling about wanting his name to be on there. Do you remember what you said?”

“Not exactly,” Kakashi said carefully, then smiled. “But I remember I changed his mind.”

Now they both laughed. Sakura stared at it carefully. She scanned over the countless names. Her eyes fell to the one ‘Obito Uchiha’.

“I still, to this day, find it almost blasphemous that her name isn’t there as well.” Kakashi muttered. Sakura’s eyes widened slightly. He never opened up about Rin. She hesitantly looked up at him. He was scowling. “They didn’t give her a proper burial. Her name should have been right there with his. Together.” He insisted. “He would’ve wanted their names to be together.”

Sakura stared at the monument.

“You don’t talk about her often.” Sakura chose to say. Out of all the things she thought of, she decided that would be the best course.

“There’s not too much to say, I’m afraid.” Kakashi admitted. “I failed her, the way I failed you two when I let Sasuke leave.”

Sakura flinched, but she quickly hid it. “You didn’t fail us, Kakashi. Sasuke defected. H-He couldn’t be stopped then, but…”

“But I’m gonna bring him back!” Naruto suddenly piped in. Kakashi nearly jumped. He had gotten so wrapped up in his own head, he didn’t notice Naruto. Sakura clearly jolted, but smiled when the bright boy approached them.

“You say that,” Sakura hesitated, then frowned.

“No, I promise!” Naruto repeated, a smile splitting his cheery face. “I’m gonna drag him back by that hair of his.”

“We’re going to bring him back together.” Kakashi determined.

The clouds in the sky grew dense, and the three decided to part ways. Sakura left thinking about their interaction at the memorial. She crossed her arms holding her gloved hands against her frigid skin in hopes of becoming warm. Her eyes drifted once again to the horizon where she saw curiously, someone watching her. Her frown deepened. Sasori sat on the edge of somebody’s home, staring down at her. He took off, and after checking to see if anyone else was following, she sprinted after him, intent to follow.

She had a light sheen of sweat over her form as she panted from the sudden and frankly unwelcome exercise. She huffed in amusement as they came upon what looked less like an inn and more like a dilapidated motel.

“One day, you have to treat me to something nicer than a bed.” Sakura informed him, though he was not beside her. He rolled his eyes.

“You are headed out on a mission tomorrow.” He said, guiding her down a corridor until they reached a room. Sakura relaxed almost immediately, not failing to recognize the irony of it. She plopped down on the bed and waited for him to join her. She laid back and he laid next to her.

Spending time with him was refreshing, there was nothing she had to do, no obligation or duty.

“Yes, Tsunade-sama made it out to be this huge mission, but we’re just repeating the bell test with our previous sensei.” Sakura smiled lightly. Sasori turned his head to observe her, knowing soon they would both come across each other in a very terrible way. Sakura looked at him now, pink hair falling over her cheeks and forehead. She looked curiously.

If she didn’t know better, she would have thought he looked sad. It was his turn to look away now.

“I’m headed out on a mission as well, tomorrow. Nothing as dangerous as yours.” He mocked. She scoffed.

“Don’t be an asshole, you almost looked human for a moment.” She told him. “You’re really just a puppet after all.”

Sasori stared up at the ceiling.

He wanted to tell her, but soon he would meet her on the battlefield and needed the upper hand so that he could defeat her. Of course, he had no doubt he would be able to, but just to make it easier, he wouldn’t reveal his strategy of actually being a puppet. This was his last night as a human afterall.

A warm hand gripped his own, startling him. He glanced at her with almost wide eyes. She schooled her expression but there was a visible blush on her cheeks.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

She must have observed him through her peripheral, because she wasn’t looking at him anymore. She was counting tiles above them.

“You crave human affection, remember?” She whispered, squeezing his hand. He hesitantly returned the gesture.

“You aren’t entirely a bitch after all.” He deadpanned.

“Don’t make me regret this, puppet boy.” Sakura sighed. “And what was with that poison stunt?”

Sasori pressed his lips into a line. In preparation for their upcoming mission, he had doused all of his weapons in that same poison. That poison which no one should have been able to cure, but she did. Even his hag of a grandmother likely would’ve taken months to come up with it, but this girl had somehow saved most of those missing nin in a matter of hours.

“I was bored.” He lied.

“I think you missed me.” Sakura hummed.

“Don’t flatter yourself. You’re nothing more than an easy lay to me.” Sasori glared at her.

“Whatever,” Sakura shrugged. “You’ll be disappointed to find out, I think nothing of you other than a traitor to your village with only one redeeming quality.”

“I don’t care about your opinion of me, kunoichi.” Sasori said evenly.

“Of course you don’t. You’re a big bad member of the Akatsuki with no emotions, right?” Sakura looked at him. The expression on her face was jarring. It made him go rigid. She was smiling at him. He scowled at her.

No one smiled for him. No one should smile for him. He put his hand over her face.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Sasori warned. She huffed and moved his hand.

“You’re such a dick.” Sakura informed him. She sighed and turned on her side to look at him. She couldn’t help the frown that formed on her face. She knew when someone was hiding something from her, but she decided to ignore it.

He barely saw her move until suddenly she was straddling his waist with a kunai at his chest. He blinked slowly before smirking up at her. “You’re going to kill me?”

“You wish.” Sakura muttered, looking at the now-infected wound she had made last time. She caught the tip of the kunai under his shirt and made a tear, before grasping both halves and pulling them apart. “Hm. That is satisfying.” She said vaguely. “I hope you had back up clothes.” She said idly, but didn’t really mean it.

Sasori just hummed in disapproval, though he jolted when the ringing of healing chakra caught his ears. She placed the hand over the mark. His hand shot out and he gripped her wrist with a heartbroken look in his eyes. She stopped, brow furrowed. She tilted her head a little bit and drew back.

“Leave the scar.” He said, though it sounded more like begging. “You can heal it one day, but for now, just leave it.”

“You’ve gone senile, old man.” Sakura sighed and pulled her shirt over her head. He didn’t fail to notice how she left the scar he’d given her, something sentimental shared between them. He said nothing of it and instead let his hands roam over her bared chest before he grabbed the blade from her hands and used it to slice open her breast bands in a quick motion, leaving a rather deep cup on her chest. She hissed in pain and slapped him.

This was better. This was familiar. He smirked up at her. She growled and took back her kunai. She came back and stabbed it into the bed next to his head, slicing his ear just slightly. He winced as the sensitive cartilage was opened, but he grinned up at her nonetheless.

“I missed.” Sakura hummed and unfastened his pants.

“I think you hit exactly where you meant to.” Sasori argued, grabbing her hips and switching positions with her. She didn’t struggle this time around, but watched warily as he picked up the kunai.

“If you cut the remainder of my clothes, I’m going to steal yours and make you walk back to your partner naked.” Sakura warned.

“He’d probably enjoy that.” Sasori hissed in disdain. “No, I wasn’t going to cut any more of your clothes.” With one surprisingly strong arm, he flipped her over until he shoved her face in the bed. The tip of the blade pressed into her lower back, closer to her right hip. He hummed thoughtfully before digging it into her soft flesh and beginning to carve.

Sakura bit down on the blankets, but failed to conceal a quiet moan. Most injuries didn’t give her this sort of rush of endorphins, but she felt her toes curl and her arms tingle. She let her eyes flutter closed. She’d never been physically hurt by someone she trusted so much to not kill her. It was an interesting feeling.

“Gross, are you enjoying this?” Sasori mocked, making a particularly painful cut.

“Fuck off.” She managed breathily, flushing darkly. He blinked and craned his neck to get a better look.

“Masochist.” He said before finishing with a line.

“What did you put there?” Sakura asked, trying to look, but unable to see it.

“I’ll show you later.” He said in a bored tone. Sakura grumbled, but accepted this answer and tried to move on top. Instead, Sasori grabbed her once again and flipped her onto her back, causing her to yelp.

“You’re such a bastard!” The pain showed plainly on her face.

“You don’t know the half of it.” He hummed in quiet satisfaction. He bit just above her naval causing her to redden once more. He left a trail of painful bites that would bruise soon until he reached her neck where he broke skin.

Sakura shivered beneath him, hands tangling and knotting into his hair. She reached between them, curious fingers finding the opening of his pants before delving in. It was more of an exploration, but he didn’t complain as she grasped him none-too-gently and began to stroke. He let out a ragged breath against her ear before finding a place on her shoulder to latch on with his teeth.

It took a moment of shifting around but he managed to pull her shorts down with one hand. Sakura glanced up at him as he hovered over her for a moment before leaning down close to her face. Her eyes widened and she sunk back into the bed just a bit as his lips brushed against hers. His warm breath ghosted over her face yet the sensation wasn’t entirely unpleasant. She was frozen with some sort of odd fear.

He drew back and examined her face with a tinge of loneliness. Still, he didn’t let it stop him. Sasori sat back and gripped both of her legs, bringing them around his hips as he pressed into her. She let out a gasping moan and gripped tightly onto his hair. She pulled at it, admiring just how red it looked in her hands.

Sakura stared up at him as he made eye contact. She narrowed her eyes for a moment before yanking his head down and crashing her lips against his own.

Startled, he had ceased his rocking movement for a moment, long enough to savor the kiss. His eyes fluttered open and he stared at her, exasperated by the gesture. He hesitantly leaned in to kiss her again, though it was much more gently. Despite his delicacy, she took to biting his lips, not that he stopped her. He paused when he noticed tears streaming down her cheeks. He buried his face into her neck, not sure the correct course of action to take.

Ignoring them was simpler.

She urged him to, beginning to roll her hips against his action. He moaned quietly and finally bit her neck again. That’s when she relaxed. She gripped onto his back, nails raking harsh red lines and occasionally bringing out blood. It was as if she kept them specifically sharpened for this action.

Sasori felt his climax approaching so he shifted to holding himself up on one finely muscled arm as his other drifted between them and deftly found her clitoris. She jolted a bit and looked up at him. She gasped as he began to gently rub, until the tightly coiled pleasure washed over her. She jerked her head back into the mattress, back arching, legs squeezing his waist.

He watched each movement and enjoyed the way sweat dripped down her lightly scarred body. She had sustained more injuries since the last time he saw her and he found himself somehow envious he hadn’t been the one to give them to her. He watched as she laid there, flushed and panting and twitching.

Sasori leaned down and bit her shoulder as he came. The heady taste of iron filled his mouth, but Sakura merely wound her hands into his hair again. He wedged his arms underneath her and held her tightly against him, despite the way they were both sweating and trembling. She wrapped her arms around him almost sweetly.

She was so young to have so many sorrows. She was so young to have to know him. His brow furrowed as the sight of her tears came back to him. What was he doing to her?

Still, he held onto her. He didn’t want to let go, even if he was hurting her.

Sakura moved him when he didn’t. She moved him until he was laying on his side. That’s how they slept, still and placid in each other’s grip.

As her pants stopped and her breathing evened out, Sasori opened his eyes to find her asleep. He observed her for a long time. She was too quiet, even in her sleep. She should have been as loud as a tidal wave. Sasori found himself tracing a scar on her back.

He was unable to sleep. Images of her suffering at his hand haunted him until morning light spilled through the holes of the moth eaten curtains.

  
_One day, you have to treat me to something nicer than a bed._

He chuckled lightly and carefully removed himself from Sakura’s grip. She stirred and looked up at him, holding onto the pillow now.

“I didn’t expect you to still be here in the morning.” She mumbled. He turned away but smiled once he was certain she wouldn’t see it.

“I didn’t expect you to snore so loudly.” He lied and pulled his pants on, regretfully remembering she had cut open his shirt. He glowered at her, and yanked the sheets away from her. She jolted and covered herself, causing him to laugh mockingly. “You don’t need to cover up, it’s nothing I haven’t seen.”

Sakura forgot her modesty and flipped him off before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and searching the room for her clothes. She pulled them on, hissing in pain when she pulled her shirt over the cuts on her back. She jerked her shirt up again and tried to turn to see it. Groaning she moved in front of the mirror and—

Sasori’s fist connected with the mirror as she began to turn to try and see what he had cut into her. He smirked as she began yelling at him.

“You bastard! I want to know what you put there!” She squeaked, poking a finger into his chest. His smirk faltered as he felt a rib crack. She grabbed his shoulders ominously. For a moment he was certain she would toss him through the window. She hesitated before moving closer and hugging him. “I’ll see you around.” She promised. “I have to go. I’m never this late. We were supposed to meet at sunrise.”

“Goodbye,” He hummed after she trotted out of the room. He stared at the door after she shut it and tugged his red and black cloak over his shoulders. Today he would pull out his own heart and once again transform it into a cylindrical seal and place it into the hollow body of a puppet. He grimaced. When did the thought make him remorseful?

Sasori placed his hat over his red hair and walked out, spotting Deidara with his hands on his hips and s hit eating grin on his face.

“You made me wait.” Deidara sang. “And who was that pink little thing that walked out before you? Weren’t you supposed to wait twenty minutes before leaving or something like that?”

“None of your business in the slightest.” Sasori snapped.

“Oh, touchy subject, yeah?” Deidara laughed.


	5. Lackluster Ending

“We’ve kept Leader waiting long enough. We need to grab the Jinchuriki, yeah? Don’t you hate keeping people from waiting?” Deidara groaned, leaning against the wall. He glanced about the workshop that Sasori had set up, using numerous storage scrolls. He glowered at one of the puppets.

Sasori stared down at his hands, made of ball joints and well treated wood. It was a melancholy feeling, being a puppet once more. He no longer bared Sakura’s scar either. He let out an angry huff. He stood up a bit straighter and glared at Deidara.

“I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you, my man, but Leader was very insistent that we get this one quickly.” Deidara reminded him. Sasori set down the scroll he had been working on. He looked to the wall. His plan was all laid out, but he was still apprehensive. There were a thousand ways it could go wrong and he could end up dead.

“Fine. Then we’re leaving now and travelling through the night so that we aren’t caught in the desert at midday.” Sasori growled, hand signs flashing quickly until his workshop was back in an easier state of mobility. He shut his eyes for a moment. He could see pink. Though he couldn’t feel pain, he felt a heavy burden settle on his chest as he left without another word to his partner.

* * *

 

The poison was very similar to the one Sasori had used before. An uneasy feeling settled into her gut as she busied herself with the antidote. In preparation for the possibility of an upcoming conflict, she made one for everyone who would be heading out. The poison had an identical structure to the one he previously used, but had very different ingredients and effects.

Temari stood in the doorway, intelligent blue eyes settling on her. Sakura looked up from her work station, glancing at her without moving her head before looking back at her work.

“You’ve encountered this before.” Temari nearly whispered. Sakura’s eyes widened a moment and she looked at Temari with a look of desperation. Temari smiled warmly and approached her, a strong hand on her shoulder. Sakura cut her eyes back down to her work. “I’m not going to rat you out or anything. I owe you, after all. Had you not encountered it before, Kankuro may not be here.”

Sakura’s hands stopped their actions. She sat down the plant extract and she let her palms press against the cool surface of the table.

“Are you going to be alright to go after them?” Temari asked.

“Yes.” Sakura said, almost too quickly. “Someone has to protect Naruto.” She smiled.

“Even if it meant killing him?” Temari asked. Sakura grimaced. Temari had such a sharp and dangerous intuition.

“Especially if it meant killing him.” Sakura whispered. “He took Gaara… that’s unforgivable.” Her words were genuine. She didn’t have the relationship that Naruto did with Gaara, but she was very fond of the now-Kazekage.

“If you change your mind, your strength would be valued here. I have no doubt I will be required to stay. Especially with Gaara gone. Though, I would give anything to be there when you guys rescue him.” Temari’s toothy smile quelled a bit. She tilted her head, looking down at Sakura once more. “You’ll be fine.”

* * *

 

“Even without Orochimaru, the ritual wasn’t as shitty as I thought, huh?” Deidara hummed with a huge grin, looking down at the cold body of the Kazekage. “What’re you going to do with it? Puppet?”

“He’ll be an excellent addition to my collection.” Sasori confirmed, then immediately glanced at the entrance. “We have company, Deidara.”

“This’ll be fun, yeah? Think the Jinchuriki is with them?” Deidara asked excitedly.

“The first one to yell at us…” Sasori echoed Itachi’s words.

“You may not like this, my man.” Deidara warned, cocking his head and smirking at him widely. “I’m gonna be the one to fight the Jinchuriki.”

Sasori narrowed his eyes, Hiruko’s eyes mimicking the action. “You got Gaara, despite our initial plan of me getting the Kazekage.”

Deidara laughed. “As the real artists between us, I need to seek out new challenges to hone my mind and skills.” He said, almost a bit too rehearsed. Sasori rolled his eyes and scoffed. “The Kyubii’s Jinchuriki is supposed to pretty powerful, so he’ll be perfect for my art.”

There was a long silence. Sasori’s eyes trained on the entrance. “We’ve been over it. What you do isn’t art. It’s flashy bullshit. Art is something that endures, that lasts, that proves to be better than others.” He hesitated as the heady scent of flesh and sweat and sex took his mind and he thought of Sakura. Sunlight barreled through the cracking entrance. The boulder fell apart, Sakura standing silhouetted by daylight, fist still raised. Sasori stifled a sigh as Deidara hummed in approval.

“She’s certainly a looker.” He said, much more quietly so that their company couldn’t hear. “If you’re into the warrior type with no tits, and--… Sasori, she’s younger than me, that’s gross.”

Sakura straightened up, brow knit with worry as she felt nothing but pure killing intent roll off of Naruto. She looked to Chiyo. Sasori was supposed to be there. But then again… she looked to the large, hunched over puppet. She narrowed her eyes as he seemed to stare at her. By the look Chiyo was giving him, it was undoubtedly him within the puppet.

Their conversation started again. They seemed nonplussed by Naruto’s rage.

“While I respect you as a fellow artist, art is not eternal, art is a quick moment that dies in its next breath.” Deidara nodded a little, looking between the shinobi. They didn’t look like much. “Your ‘art’ is dusty and overdone. Every other artist in the world can make something that lasts forever.”

“What did you say?” Sasori hissed, jerking his head towards Deidara.

“W-What’s with them?” Sakura whispered, embarrassed by the way her voice caught in her throat.

“It’s apparent you don’t know what true art is, Deidara.” Sasori drawled, eyeing up their opponents as well. Best case scenario, he could separate Kakashi and Naruto, fighting Kakashi himself, and hopefully his grandmother, while… no, he didn’t want Deidara fighting Sakura. He wasn’t aware of her skills, but he didn’t trust Deidara to not kill her.

“It’s the other way around, my man.” Deidara asserted, glaring at him.

“You bastards!” Their conversation was interrupted by Naruto’s sudden growl. Sasori spared a glance at him. He already knew the boy was the Jinchuriki, but that only confirmed it.

“Beauty that endures is the only true art.” Sasori said, ignoring Naruto.

“That’s absurd! There’s nothing special about something everyone gets to witness.” Deidara made a wide gesture with one arm.

“Stop screwing with us!” Naruto shouted, opening a summoning scroll and caught a shuriken as it appeared. He shot forward and threw it with a great speed and ferocity.

Sakura’s eyes narrowed as a tail shot out from beneath a cloak and easily blocked it. She noted it was dipped in poisoned and subconsciously thumbed the antidote syringe in her pocket.

“You’re trying to piss me off.” Sasori still spoke to Deidara, who merely shrugged.

“I warned you ahead of time.” Deidara smirked.

Sasori was beginning to anger. “You should know what happens.” His tail poised similar to that of a scorpion, ready to strike.

Chiyo’s eyes darkened. It seemed that Sasori’s proficiency in puppet mastery had increased since he defected.

“What do you say, Deidara?” Sasori asked in a taunt, poison dripping from the very tip of his tail. Deidara chuckled under his breath and stood up, making a fist over a mound of clay. When he opened it, there was a small, white, delicate bird.

“I genuinely mean you no disrespect.” Deidara hummed. “To me, is all I’m saying, the true essence of art,” He tossed the bird in the air as it fluttered towards the ceiling. He signed. “Katsu!”

There was a large billow of smoke that shot out from the bird. Two white wings cut through the smoke. The bird that emerged settled on the ground in front of Gaara and picked up the still Kazekage with his beak.

Naruto gasped and trembled with anger. Kakashi grabbed his shoulder. He formulated a plan. Chiyo would no doubt want to face off with her grandson, and with Sasori’s poisons, Sakura would make a better partner to her. Naruto would insist to go after Gaara, and he would need to accompany Naruto.

Kakashi turned his head and looked at Sakura. Was she strong enough to face such an opponent. He grimaced under his mask. She wasn’t. She would be one day, should she survive this. He knew with her hard work ethic she would surpass Tsunade within the year. Leaving her here was practically a death sentence. Even with Chiyo, he wasn’t sure they would survive the encounter with Sasori.

His other option to stay and fight would leave Naruto alone to his rage, and to a taunting Akatsuki member who wanted to gain another Jinchuriki. His dark eye narrowed. He would count on Gai and his team coming to Sakura and Chiyo’s aid.

Sasori looked between the shinobi, nervous that Sakura would end up fighting Deidara. He looked to the younger member, who was hovering in the air, having mounted his clay bird.

“Naruto and I will go after that one.” Kakashi told Sakura, who nodded a little, relieved. She didn’t want Naruto to fight anyone alone, and she wasn’t entirely sure there was a lot she could do if he lost control. She could never bring herself to hurt him.

“Great. So now I have to face the old lady and the brat?” Sasori could have laughed. Kakashi straightened up. He wouldn’t say anything. Sakura stifled a smirk.

“Sasori, you’re still so cocky.” Chiyo said darkly. “After all these years, you still refuse to be humble.”

“Why would I willingly act as though I weren’t as powerful as I am?” Sasori asked, gravelly voice resounding through the base.

Naruto shouted something that fell on deaf ears as Sakura and Sasori focused on each other. Deidara flew out at a startling speed and Naruto immediately began in pursuit. Sasori glanced to Chiyo, then back to Sakura. Chiyo was preparing her first attack and Sakura took a battle stance. He saw no visible weapon. It seemed she preferred Taijutsu.

Kunai shot out at Sasori, slicing cloak as he allowed it. The full puppet of Hiruko was revealed. Sakura began running forward, as did Chiyo. Sasori began to analyze Sakura’s movements. He quickly ripped the cloth covering his mouth away and let his jaw crack open as senbon shot out. Sakura didn’t doubt they were poisoned.  
  
She looked to Chiyo, making sure she hadn’t been hit. Senbon were only effective if the user utilized them correctly. Unfortunately, it seemed Sasori was one of those users who knew exactly how to make the small needles deadly. He began following her movements, as she twisted in the air, avoiding each one with practiced accuracy. Being Tsunade’s apprentice meant a great knowledge of avoiding flying objects, as when Tsunade angered, her first reaction was to throw things. Sasori huffed in borderline amusement. She was prepared for this fight, it seemed.

His shoulder made a cracking noise as he thrust his arm out, a pod shooting out from it that hurdled forward and released no small number of weapons in any given direction. It was such a reckless pattern that even Sakura’s quick eye wouldn’t be able to anticipate it. A stray senbon nicked her arm. Sasori frowned. It would be over that quickly it seemed. He overestimated her. She made no concern of it, which perplexed him. Didn’t she already see firsthand what the poison could do?

She straightened up when he paused.

“He’s inside of that puppet.” Chiyo told her. Sakura already knew this, but she didn’t want to let the woman know that. She nodded a little. “You’ve been hit.” She said with a small amount of worry. She did not like Konoha nin, much less any apprentice of that bitch Tsunade, but Sakura was kind, and while she would have scorned that in her younger years, she came to appreciate such a heart on a young shinobi.

“Don’t worry for me.” Sakura instructed. “I’m conditioned to his poison now.” She informed her with a slight nod. Sasori’s eyes widened. Sakura had the audacity to build an immunity to what was probably his most painful poison yet. His grin returned. So he would have to beat her with something more than poison then.

Sakura darted forward, an almost frightening look of determination in her heated green eyes. Her arm was merely a blur as kunai shot from her person. He was forced to block, which brought his tail out of range to properly strike. She sucked in breath before slamming her fist into his head. Sasori’s eyes widened.

When the boulder had cracked, she had though perhaps Kakashi or the Jinchuriki assisted Sakura in breaking it. It became clear she possessed a deadly strength. Had he been just a little further forward in his puppet, his head would be caved in.

Sakura took great satisfaction in the sound of cracking wood as Hiroku fell apart. The inner lining of Hiroku shrouded him as he quickly jumped back, avoiding another punch from Sakura. His hand twitched, the puppet head rising into the air at the behest of his strings.

“That’s a useless move.” Sakura informed him, dodging the senbon expertly. Chiyo moved just in time, eyes trained on the lump under the fabric. Her heart raced at the idea of seeing how Sasori looked now. Had he taken more after his father? His mother? He was so young when he left. She managed to grab the displaced tail from his scorpion puppet to block yet another barrage of needles that came her way.

“How clever, Chiyo.” Sasori hummed.

Sakura’s eyes widened instinctively. For whatever reason, she hoped his voice was different, as illogical as that was. She had hoped it still wouldn’t be dark and oddly sultry. She had hoped it wouldn’t make promises that she wished for. It did. He tugged the fabric from himself, red hair unusually unkempt. What gave her great pause though, was his face. He looked entirely different. He looked as young as she did, but he still had those dangerous eyes. She bit the inside of her cheek.

“However, I must hurry this along. I don’t like to keep others waiting.” He said matter of factly, holding a scroll out to them and carefully unravelling it. “I think you’ll have appreciation for this, Chiyo. It was particularly difficult to acquire.”

Smoke consumed his form and in front of him emerged a large puppet. Sakura recognized it from history books.

“The rumors are true.” Chiyo said sadly. “The Kazekage…”

“I couldn’t let that kekkei genkai go to waste, now could I? He certainly wasn’t using it for reasons I deemed appropriate.” Sasori chuckled. With a flick of his hand, the puppet flew towards Sakura. He was facing Chiyo, but he tilted his head a bit and cut his eyes at her as she prepared to counter. She put up her fists, but was yanked away as Chiyo attached strings to her. Sasori laughed openly now. “That won’t help her. Getting close will kill her either way, and she’s probably your strongest puppet. That only speaks ill of your collection, grandmother.” He said the last word tauntingly. “Now won’t you die, already?” He asked, jerking his hands out as the Kazekage puppet flew forward towards them once more.

A mass of blades shot out from the puppet’s arm. Sakura put her arms up, wielding a kunai to help counter as the blades shot in a slice towards her. Chiyo blocked it with the tail, though on impact it shattered. Sakura stared for a moment before snapping herself out of her daze. The puppet’s arm opened up, inscriptions summoning an augmentation of a thousand more hands and arms, spiraling and twisting about in an unpredictable manner. Sakura flinched as she tried to avoid getting hit, rather unsuccessfully. She was pinned down on her side.

“Sakura! Get out of there!” Chiyo hissed worriedly.

Noxious gas began to leak from the joints and Sakura tore her way through the puppet limbs, careful not to breathe. She ran out, aided by a tug from Chiyo and avoided the gas by a hair, though the following blast pushed Sakura through the air. Chiyo managed to catch her.

“You two are proving to be quite a thorn in my side.” Sasori informed them as a few tangles in the limbs opened up, shooting an assortment of different weaponry at them. “I assumed you would have died of old age between now and when we started.” He addressed Chiyo, then cocked his head at Sakura. “I thought you would’ve run away by now.”

“I wouldn’t run away from a lowlife like you.” Sakura hissed. “You harmed my friends, which makes you the worst type of scum.” Her face contorted with anger. Though he grinned with amusement, he felt a twinge of regret that only served to further annoy him. Her opinion shouldn’t have mattered that much to him.

He managed to catch her off guard, a few kunai lodging in her legs and arms. She grunted in pain and fell back, immediately removing them and healing. As she did, he unleashed a storm of kunai. The sound of metal flying through the air and striking filled his ringing ears. The dust settled a bit and instead of the pin cushioned image of his grandmother and Sakura, there stood his first puppets, blocking the attack. He trained his eyes on his father and mother for a moment before looking to Chiyo.

* * *

 

“I made sure that even your healing wouldn’t work, Chiyo. I struck a vital organ. Even if you heal her, there’s too much damage. She will die.” Sasori repeated. Chiyo spared him a look before returning to her work. The image of her grandson—or rather the puppet of her grandson skewered between her children was too much for her at the moment. She focused on saving the life of the Konoha nin. Sasori controlled his expression, but even with that, Chiyo could hear the regret in his voice. It confused her, but the child had done weirder things. “That’s not to account for blood loss as well. Even without the poison, there’s no way for her to survive, so why bother?”

“This is no medical ninjutsu, boy.” Chiyo said. Calling him ‘boy’ was easier. It was difficult to acknowledge that the monster in front of them was her own flesh and blood. He’d killed more people in his much shorter life than she’d met in her own drawn out one. “It’s a resurrection jutsu.”

Sakura’s dulled eyes looked up at Sasori. His face reflected nothing but remorse and hatred and desperation, despite the way he feigned neutrality. She waited for Chiyo to look away. She smiled. His eyes widened and he averted his gaze. Sakura looked to Chiyo curiously as she mentioned the resurrection jutsu.

“Why would you give your own life for this brat?” He asked, more curious than anything. He didn’t understand it. Just like he didn’t understand the way Sakura jumped in front of his blade to save his grandmother. “Why her?”

“I don’t have to give all of my life. I don’t have much left to give, but…” Chiyo looked to the blood tainting previously pink hair. “It’ll be enough.”

“Why her?” He repeated.

Sakura slowly came to.

“A human life is precious, Sasori.” Chiyo asserted. “I wish I would have taught you that when you were younger.”

“No, a human life is fleeting and dull, what makes her any different?” He asked.

Chiyo didn’t answer. She simply aided Sakura to an upright position. Sakura hesitated on her knees, trying to decide whether to move into a fully standing position yet or not. She decided it would be best and rolled back on her heels, staggering a bit, but standing up straight otherwise. Sasori looked at her sadly. Her gaze held forgiveness, but he didn’t understand why.

Chiyo’s words about his childhood had reached her, and she had a knew grasp of Sasori as a person, why he did what he did, why he pretended not to be a human. His head turned with faint clicking sounds as he looked between his father and mother once more. It was just like that time. His eyes dulled a bit, and cast downwards to the ground.

“It’s unfortunate that you had enough life to give. The world would do better without you in it.” Sasori said, eyeing Chiyo with a calculated glare. His head jerked to the side, cheek cracking under one gloved fist. He looked at Sakura with less hatred per passing moment. “Why do such pointless things?”

“You shouldn’t be so disrespectful towards your grandmother.” Sakura said casually, as if they were discussing something over tea. He stared openly, mind working aimlessly to understand why she behaved the way she did.

“Even if she is my own relative, I feel nothing towards her that obligates me to respect her, you witless brat.” He said evenly. “My heart, much like my body is puppet-like. I don’t feel a thing.” He lied carefully. Sakura glared now. A bit of relief over took him as she grew angrier. She punched him again. He ignored it as if she wasn’t there at all. “Out of the thousands of people I’ve killed, she’d be no different from the rest, just as you would have been.”

That seemed to strike a nerve. Sakura’s fists tightened but she didn’t strike.

“It’s simpler that way.”

Sakura paused again. Sasori saw it in her eyes, the constant battle between empathy and anger. He glanced down as a bit of poison-tinted blood dripped from the swords protruding from what was supposed to be his heart.

“If I could describe myself,” He began, not caring for a linear discussion. “It would be as a human being who could not quite become a puppet… no matter how hard I tried. I’m unfinished, because despite my lifeless frame, a beating heart still thrums in my core. I’m neither dead nor alive.” He mused quietly, voice growing weaker. “Still, I can feel an end drawing near.”

Sakura stepped forward so that she could better hear. He looked her dead in the eye.

“So, I’ll do something pointless, just like the two of you.” He cocked his head, eyeing his grandmother one last time. For all he knew, he was truly about to die. He would either wake up in his human body, or he wouldn’t. “Think of it as a reward for defeating me, Sakura.”

She inwardly flinched as he spoke her name. It sounded wrong on his lips. She hesitated.

“About Orochimaru… he has your teammate in his possession, doesn’t he?” Sasori asked. Sakura’s eyes betrayed her calm demeanor as they widened. “Go to the Tenchi Bridge, in Kusa.” His voice grew a bit quieter, his eyes held hers. “Ten days from now, at noon.”

Sakura could hear wooden clicks as he settled into a more relaxed slump. His hair framed his face as he looked down at the ground, unable to hold his head up any longer. He saw the way blood dripped down from a wound on her ankle and pooled in her sandal. He had remorse for that too.

“Someone very close to Orochimaru is working for me, as a spy.”

His voice grew quieter still.

“And that’s where I’m supposed to meet him.”

Sakura could hear ringing in her ears. Her heart pounded in her chest as the realization set in of his imminent death.

“I don’t… think I’ll…”

Then there was silence. Her vision blurred a bit and she slumped her shoulders. She looked back at Chiyo, who trained her expression into a sad smile.

“It’s done,” Sakura said quietly, kneeling next to Chiyo and putting a hand on her shoulder. Chiyo looked at her. She frowned.

“He was so kind and loving as a young child, Sakura.” She whispered. “He was my sun. He made Suna a little less unwelcoming for me.”

Sakura tried to think of something to say, but didn’t manage. Instead she just stood up. Chiyo did as well. Team Gai was standing in the door way, as were Kakashi and Naruto. Naruto held something close to his chest. Sakura’s eyes widened.

She had hoped to have one last moment alone with Sasori, but it seems she would not get that. She approached Naruto and reached out to wipe his tears away.

“H-He’s…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't like the pacing of the canon encounter, so I changed it a little. And of course I don't particularly enjoy writing long, drawn out fights littered with heart breaking flashbacks, so! If you want that, go rewatch the episodes!
> 
> Keep an eye out for the upcoming Epilogue! I promise a semi-happy ending. Thanks to those of you who have kept up with it this far!! I really appreciate all of your comments. Let me know what you think!


	6. Disappointment and Envy

The war had come and gone, taking three years longer than expected. It took the combined effort of the nations to bring down Madara, and sometimes Sakura still woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat as she tried to separate flashback and nightmare from reality. This was one of those nights.

Sakura sat up in bed, wiping her palms on her bare thighs. She stood up and tugged her shorts on. If she couldn’t sleep, she’d go for a walk. Usually, that cleared her head. She pulled a vest over her sleep shirt and pulled her long hair from it, absentmindedly wondering if it was time to cut it yet, or not. Her fingertips brushed along the wall of the hallway as she made her way through her small, empty apartment. Her eyes followed the shadowed over portraits of her friends and family. There was a small shrine by her door with far too many photos pinned to a board in the back of it. Tsunade, Shizune, her mother and father, Neji, and something in the very corner of the board.

A blood stained piece of paper torn from the puppet of a man she’d once killed, quite a few years ago.

Times like these, she felt especially empty. She pulled the tack from the paper and brought it to her face to examine it closer, illuminated solely by the small amount of moonlight that billowed through her window. Shortly after returning to the village after Gaara’s rescue, Tsunade had sent she and team eight to the decimated hide out. The only reason she was sent with the more-than-capable team, was so that she could brief them on the first-hand experience, rather than have them read a mission report.

She remembered seeing the now-deceased Deidara at the site, searching for some sort of ring.

* * *

 

“You were just with a team, yeah?” He had said, ignoring an idiotic comment from his new partner.

“They’re still here.” Sakura bluffed.

“Ha! I believe your exact words were ‘just give me a moment, I lost an earring.’ and when that _bug boy_ offered to help you look, you sent them away. So, _slut of Sasori_ ,” Deidara snickered at his own joke, though Sakura just stared at him with an unamused expression. “What are you really looking for?”

Sakura glanced nervously between Deidara and the unnamed man behind an orange mask. Her fists were practically dripping with chakra. He seemed calm now, but she knew Deidara could attack at any moment, and based off of his reputation, was prone to sudden temper-driven attacks.

“I’m just paying my respects.” She admitted.

“To him?! Oh boy! Were you _Sa-so-ri’s_ girlfriend?! She’s so _pretty!_ I bet she was!” The second man cheered, clapping a bit and grabbing Deidara's shoulder to get his full attention. The theatrics this Akatsuki member put on was disarming, but worrying. How could someone recruited by the infamous criminal organization be acting like a hyper seven-year-old?

“Tobi, be quiet!” Deidara hissed, turning his head to his new partner. “The adults are talking. Go stand outside.”

Sakura found it hard to believe that Sasori was so quickly replaced, and by that idiot nonetheless. Though, she had a suspicion it was an act, meant to make enemies disregard or underestimate him.

“Sure, senpai!” Tobi laughed, then put a hand over where his mouth would be. Sakura eyed him warily before looking back at Deidara. As Tobi skipped off, Sakura took a defensive stance, ready to dodge any explosive he threw at her. He only rolled his eyes and held up his hands.

“I’m not going to attack you, un.” He frowned. “So stop trying to intimidate me. I'm blushing from second-hand embarrassment over how utterly out-classed and out-powered you are right now. I know you don’t have that much chakra. Anyway, I’m curious, why are you paying your respects to him of all people?”

“Because he’s dead, and because _I_ killed him.” Sakura raised her chin a bit, trying to convey that she could also kill him, if she so wished. Unfortunately, Deidara was not nearly as intimidated as she had hoped. He crossed his arms and inclined his head towards her, narrowing his eyes in a way that made her think at any moment he was going to spring and try to paint the remainder of the base with her blood.

“Whatever.” He sighed after a moment. “You are absolutely not worth my time, yeah?” He said, looking up at the darkening sky. It was about to rain. How fitting. Deidara let out an exaggerated groan and ran his hand down his cheek with frustration. He could grab her easily and use her to get the Jinchuriki. That would spite Itachi. That would be easier. “Even after he’s dead that bastard is a pain in my ass, yeah?” He laughed meanly, reaching in his pocket. He excused his mercy with the fact he didn't want to get caught in a storm. He needed to leave. They found the ring, Sasori's 'heart' was skewered between two ugly puppets, their job was done.

Sakura watched carefully, and caught the kunai that was thrown at her, using her chakra to make sure it didn’t slice her fingers. She blinked in confusion and looked at it. The handle was wrapped in a crimson fabric.

“He wanted me to give that to you, after his death. Now turn around, and walk away.” Deidara warned. Sakura’s eyes widened in shock and confusion. “Don’t make me repeat myself.” He hissed.

Sakura weighed her options. Going head to head against Deidara wasn’t necessarily a death sentence if she played her cards right. The only problem would be avoiding blasts of clay long enough to get close to him. Though with a partner outside that she knew absolutely nothing about…

Hesitantly, she turned around.

Her feet moved like she willed them to, but her movements were cautious.

_“I knew it.”_

Sakura turned her head. Deidara was staring at her hip. She panicked and pulled her shirt down, feeling a clay spider that had no doubt pulled it out of place. She swatted the thing away, in panic.

“ _He_ put that there, didn’t he?” Deidara asked, still looking at where a huge scar was, one she hadn’t been able to heal, though she tried. Especially after his death. Especially after killing him. Sakura gripped her shirt tightly in her fists.

“He was such a bleeding heart.” Deidara whispered. “Leave. I won’t say it again.”

She did, summoning a bit of chakra and vanishing.

* * *

 

Sakura opened her front door and locked it behind her, casting a jutsu like she always did to make sure no ninja could get in unmarred. She stuffed the tag with a scorpion on it in her pocket and began to wander idly. It was much too late for anyone to be out at this hour. Still, she happened to stroll by her friends’ homes.

First was Ino, as it was the closest. The Yamanaka had a clan compound, but it was considerably smaller than most of the others. She stood in front of the gate, wondering how Ino was faring. She’d just given birth last month, and was keeping to herself, taking care of the little Inojin. Sai hadn’t done as well as everyone had expected. He passed out midbirth, awakening just in time to hear his son’s first cries. He had sobbed when he held the child. Ino had been the one calm and collected, but head over heels for the new Yamanaka.

Sakura continued walking until she came upon the shared Hyuga-Uzumaki home where the baby Boruto was. Hinata had such complications through childbirth that Naruto had to be yelled at multiple times before he calmed down. She smiled, seeing a figure in the window, hushing a baby behind blue curtains, silohetted by gentle light. Sakura tilted her head, watching Naruto as he rocked Boruto gently in his arms. She averted her gaze and sprinted away as Naruto approached the window, sensing someone had been watching.

Lastly, Sakura strolled by the long abandoned Uchiha compound. Sasuke was not there. She narrowed her eyes and gripped her arms lightly. He had promised to return… She placed a hand over her stomach where, up until 5 months ago, a small life had been. Sakura had miscarried. She had grown sentimental over the flame of light that had been extinguished so soon. She even made a grave for it, small, but there nonetheless. She didn’t tell Sasuke. It wouldn’t change anything.

Sakura circled around, walking through the empty marketplace before returning home and depositing the scorpion tag back in the memorial shrine. She looked at it once more before sitting on her bed and leaning against the cold, slate wall. She stared out of the window, feeling more exhausted than when she woke up. A sigh escaped her as the sun began to creep up on the horizon.

Deciding to shower, she shed her clothing and let her feet carry her across the chilled tiles until they stepped into the metal of the shower’s nearly flat basin. She turned on the water and let the near freezing water wash over her until it eventually became warm. She relaxed against the wall, staring at the stream of water.

“Why are you sulking?” Sakura asked herself, huffing lightly. She ran her finger tips over the scar on her ribcage. The scorpion. Her hand trailed to her lower back, tracing over the raised edges.

Sakura sneered. “That was so cliché, Sasori.” She told the air, closing her eyes and bending her head under the water and letting it plaster her pink hair to her face. “I don’t understand it. Why scar me with _that_ of all things? You could have killed me, you could have lived, if I were dead.” She slammed her fist, empty of chakra, into the tile. Her skin cracked, as did the tile. She grimaced and let the blood wash freely down the drain. She didn’t heal herself. She let the sting of the small wound remain.

Her mind idled as she ran through the motions of showering before stepping out and not bothering with a towel as she sat on the edge of her bed. Clouds filtered dawn’s sunlight as it shone through the dirty glass of her window. Sakura laid back for a moment, weighing the options to sleep the day away or get up and face the day and simply go to bed early. She decided on the latter and dried off before dressing, carefully putting her feet back in her shoes.

The moment she stepped out, a hawk flew to her. A messenger, no doubt. She held up her forearm and carefully untied the note from its leg. She let it fly away once more as she read over the note. Her eyes widened a bit.

“It seems I got here before he did.”

She swallowed thickly and turned her head. Sasuke stood a small way up the street from her, but his visible eye was transfixed on her. She held the eye contact. Something she wasn’t always able to do. He was the first one to glance away. There was a light tint to his cheeks, one that anybody else would miss. Anybody else wouldn't have been able to see the light flush, but she had dreamed of such a look for years, so now that she finally saw it, she was morbidly disappointed. She thought him approaching her like this would make her happy, yet her heart rate was steady. Wasn't this the man of her dreams? Finally returned to the village. Why?

“Naruto’s waiting at that ramen restaurant. Would you like to join us for breakfast? It’s also Kakashi, and those other two.” Sasuke’s words were hesitant. She watched him with indifference, the same way he had looked at her for years.

“Their names are Sai and Yamato and sure, I would love to.” Sakura smiled. It wasn’t genuine, but it was an effort. Sasuke eyed her for a moment before waiting on her to walk to his side.

They were relatively silent, though Sakura tried to break the tension with small talk a few times.

“Ramen for breakfast seems kind of garish, dickless.”

“What’s with that?! I’ve told you a thousand—no a million times to stop calling me that!”

“Aa, you two are causing a scene.”

“Naruto, stop yelling.”

“O-Okay, sheesh, just stop looking at me like that.”

Sasuke and Sakura stood at the entrance for a moment before deciding to go in. They sat down and took up conversation with relative ease. Nobody missed the way Sakura’s laugh seemed a bit quieter than normal, or the way Sasuke stole glances at her when she looked away.

“So, how are the two fathers?” Kakashi looked between Sai and Naruto.

“Boruto is a brat,” Naruto grinned.

“Just like his father.” Sasuke quipped.

“Shut up! Jerk…” Naruto hissed, then looked at Sai. “How is Inojin?”

“He is beautiful.” Sai smiled genuinely and immediately pulled photographs and drawings of his son and Ino out. “Look.”

“We’ve all seen.” Naruto whined.

“He looks like he got all the good traits between you two. I’m almost scared though, about the personality on this little guy. Is he going to be like his mother?” Yamato jested.

“That would be best.” Sakura finally spoke up, grinning at Sai, though Sai didn’t quite get the joke. He smiled anyway and slowly put away the pictures.

“Wait, can I…” Sakura pointed to one of the pictures. It was of her and Ino. Ino lying in the hospital bed, Inojin cradled and feeding, Sakura gently wiping down the newborn with a washcloth.

“Yes, I have many duplicates.” Sai admitted, handing her the photograph. Sakura smiled genuinely this time, pocketing the photo with a quiet ‘thank you’.

Even though the war ended, Sakura felt the fear that she could lose her friends to enemies at any given moment. It was a sort of anxiety that hadn’t receded for years. She idly looked away from the collective stares as her teammates tried to figure out what was wrong.

“Kakashi… you can’t keep leaving Pakkun with a henge up in charge to sneak out… it isn’t even a very good henge.” Shikamaru appeared in the entry way, arms crossed.

“What do you mean? I’m Pakkun.” Kakashi lied, grinning behind his mask. The action was given away by a slight crinkle in his eyes.

“Please.” Shikamaru sighed. Kakashi whined and groaned but eventually stood up.

“Fine, fine.” He said, leaving with Shikamaru. “See you guys later.” He hummed.

“Bye!” Naruto chirped. Yamato simply waved, same as the others.

Sakura stared at the empty bowls between the group.

“So, have any of you heard the news about Suna?” Yamato broke the silence.

“I haven’t.” Sakura answered, though Naruto nodded.

“There’s a shinobi rising in ranks rather quickly. He’s Temari’s replacement, but he’s… well, he’s very powerful.” Yamato said after a moment. “The people are a bit afraid of him. He looks like, and even shares a name with, well,” Yamato looked at Sakura, trying find a way to say it gently.   
  
“Who?—And the people were afraid of Gaara for the longest time. If Gaara trusts him, so should they.” Sakura commented.

“Well, for whatever reason, he was named after Sasori of the Red Sand… he is the spitting image of him, too. Much too young, though. I’d say early twenties, from what I saw in his file.” Yamato scratched his cheek. “He’s even a puppet maker and user. Poisons. Many are saying he was Chiyo’s apprentice.”

Sakura deadpanned, staring blankly at Yamato until Sai and Naruto grew concerned over her silence.

Was he messing with her? His worried glance said otherwise. 

But that would be impossible, or at the very least improbable. Someone that looked like Sasori, used the same combat techniques, and was being taught by Chiyo? It all sounded very convenient. Perhaps it was some resurrection jutsu. Her stomach churned a bit and she found herself dizzy at the thought. To have to kill him again. The thought was unbearable.

“Hey, have any of you seen Kakashi?” Shikamaru asked, ducking into their booth and looking at them.

Sasuke huffed in amusement. “Didn’t he just leave with you?” 

“I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” Shikamaru shook his head.

 **“That bastard!”** Naruto suddenly yelled. “He used a fake Shikamaru to skip out on his bill!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the epilogue, but I ... well, there's more story ahead. Let me know what you think, what you want to see, etc!


	7. Distant Encounter

Sakura stared at her feet, planted firmly in front of the gate. She swallowed thickly and turned her head a bit. Everyone was there. A month wasn’t an incredibly long mission, but it was the first time everyone had been together at the same time since the war, and now one was leaving. Sakura smiled widely and waved.

“Hey! Smack Kankuro for me!” Temari shouted gleefully.

“Tell Gaara I said hello!!!” Lee yelled, laughing as they began to grow louder, each saying their goodbyes.

“I’m gonna miss you, Forehead.” Ino pouted, but she was smiling still.

“Can you bring back some of that ink for me, Ugly? I slipped money for it into your pocket earlier.” Sai admitted openly, causing Naruto to stop and glare at him.

“Hey, Sakura!” Naruto shouted to get her full attention. He was grinning brightly. Briefly, that smile threw Sakura off. She hadn’t seen it in years. He hadn’t smiled like that since they found him lying on the ground with Sasuke, arms missing, smiling and laughing like two school boys. “Be safe.” He said, in a bit more subdued fashion.

One by one, the rookie nine generation began to disappear into the bustle of the village. Even Naruto had left.

Sasuke stood, still silent and staring at her.

“Are you coming back?” He asked.

Sakura huffed in amusement.

“Doesn’t this kind of remind you of when you first left?” She said, though there was no malice in her voice.

“It does.” He grimaced, then glanced sideways towards the wall around the village. “Are you?”

Sakura looked away as well, though her eyes were drawn to the sky. Her mind was oddly blank. She tilted her head a bit, deep in thought. She didn’t know what took over her, but the words left her mouth without her permission. Her eyes dulled a bit and she could feel emotions like a fresh wound bubble up in her chest.

“So, I’ll do something pointless, just like the two of you.” She said barely above a whisper, seeing red hair and uncaring eyes in her imagination for the briefest of moments. Sasuke looked at her quizzically. “Think of it as a reward for returning, Sasuke.”

“I don’t understand.” Sasuke admitted, stepping forward. 

Sakura hesitated and moved towards him with a silent precision. She took his face between her palms and leaned in, pausing just before she could press her lips against his. As a girl, she longed for such a moment, such a feeling. Sasuke’s arm snaked around her waist.

Sakura stopped. “I don’t think I’ll,”

She put a hand on his chest, separating them. She brushed her hair behind her ear, something she did when she was nervous. “I’m sorry, I just don’t think I want to… _not anymore._ ”

“I see,”

“No, you don’t.” Sakura cocked her head, crossing her arms across her chest. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the ground before looking up at her with a bit of a glare. He still couldn’t meet her eyes. He focused on her lips as she spoke again. “You represent everything terrible that happened over these years.” His eyes widened and he tried to not show the surprise he felt. Sakura had never talked to him like that.

“I know,” He whispered. “That’s all I think about, how this could have been avoided if I stayed… if I stayed with you—“

“I think things would have ended very differently war-wise, but you’re so far beyond my help. I don't have anymore of my heart to give away.” She shook her head a little bit and turned back towards the world outside of the village. She stared up at the sky for a moment. “I hope you get the help you need, but I need you to stay away from me for a while. We'll be a team again one day, but for now, I need to leave."

Sasuke watched in near desperation as Sakura walked away. He grit his teeth. When did she lose that loving tone in her voice? When did she share that look in her eyes—that look that he absolutely hated—that look of a martyr?  _That look that Itachi had._ As if she had read his mind somehow, she stopped, glancing over her shoulder, but not looking at him.

“Sometime between the deaths of my parents, Shizune, and Tsunade.” She answered, gently touching the diamond on her forehead as she remembered her teacher. “I don’t hate you Sasuke.”

“That’s a cruel thing to say.” Sasuke said more loudly than necessary.

She paused as she continued on.

“I know. And Sasuke?”

“What?”

“I forgave you.” Her voice was smaller and he was straining his ears to hear her clearly. “So you don't need to try and make it up to me or anything like that. Having you home is good enough. You don't need to leave again.”

* * *

 

It only took two days to reach the desert. She adjusted the pack slung over her sore shoulder. She looked around, focusing for a moment long enough to sense a familiar chakra. She held her breath lightly, not quite able to place who it was solely on their chakra, but it was a decent amount of it, and strings attached to a lesser amount of chakra.

For a moment, she was frozen in place, unwilling to place her unease. She narrowed her eyes. They noticed her and began to move forward. Her heart stopped for a moment too long as she saw a familiar puppet, or rather, puppet armor. Hiruko. Her heart pounded in her chest.

It couldn’t be him.

For a moment, she was back in the decimated base, aided by Chiyo. She saw swords sticking out of his chest, dripping with poison-infused blood. She felt weak again, and helpless.

“Sakura,” The voice didn’t come from Hiruko, and sounded nothing like Sasori, in or out of the puppet armor. She relaxed a bit.

“Kankuro.” She breathed, voice laden with relief. “Come to escort me?” She forced a smile. Kankuro rose a brow but nodded.

“Yeah. You Konoha nin tend to die in the sand and the chunin we were going to send was too nervous to be a proper escort.” He laughed. “Did you know you’ve been listed under ‘flee-on-sight’? Because I didn’t. What happened to medic? Do no harm?”

“Do no harm is bullshit in a world of violence.” Sakura pointed a finger at him but grinned a little at the praise. She wasn’t aware she had been listed as such.

“There are rumors that you broke that Uchiha Madara’s nose during the battle when no one else could touch him.”

Sakura blushed a bit, growing shy. People were talking about her. She knew it was bound to happen, given her huge part in the war. Given that she surpassed the legendary Tsunade. Given that she, indeed, punched Uchiha Madara and lived. An accomplishment not many could claim.

“So it’s true!” He laughed. “Well, come on. We’ve got some problems to deal with.” He gestured towards what must have been the village, though he could have been gesturing to anything. Sakura wouldn’t know. The only thing she saw was damned sand. Everywhere. Luckily she had wrapped the sleeves, pants legs, and neckline of her clothing. Something she had learned on diplomatic trips in the past. There was nothing worse than sand in clothing, and even if it looked less than appealing, tying off her clothes aided in keeping it out.

“This is about the Sasori-look-alike?” Sakura asked, biting her lower lip as she followed behind Kankuro. Kakashi had given her the least possible information while still telling her where to go.

“Yes,” Kankuro rubbed his nose lightly, a nervous tick similar to Naruto’s head scratching. She could have laughed if not for how ridiculously uneasy she was. Her stomach was in complete knots. “He’s uh… a dead match, but a little older. After you and Chiyo killed him, I went to collect his puppets and take them for my own. This guy has all of Sasori’s skills, the same ability to control puppets, and miraculously he even crafts the same.”

“What’s his name?” Sakura said, idly flipping through the bingo book.

“Hiruko Akasuna.”

"Really? Akasuna? That's a little... on the nose."  Sakura tripped over her own feet, face planting into the sand. She groaned and just laid there when she heard Kankuro laughing loudly at her. She sat up, brushing the hot sand from her skin, brushing a healing jutsu over the newly sustained burns from the sand. She sighed loudly.

“You know him?” Kankuro asked. quirking a brow at her. She hesitated before nodding.

“I treated him once back in Konoha.” Sakura admitted. "I didn't know his last name was Akasuna, though."

“I see.” Kankuro grinned at her, a light tint to his cheeks. “Saved him from one of that crazy bastard’s poisons?”

“Yes, actually.” Sakura swallowed thickly and glanced at Temari’s brother.

“Ah, a wind storm is on the rise. We need to take shelter.” He noted, looking around before pointing in a direction. They headed towards a cliff side. “We’ll just have to press against it and shield our faces. It— _ **Holy shit!”**_  
  
The very bottom of the cliff crumbled on the other side of Sakura’s fist, a controlled punch carving out a rather natural looking cave, only deep enough for the two to hide in while a comfortable distance apart.

“That… is some amazing chakra control.” Kankuro stammered, touching the wall of the cave. Sakura glanced at him, then out at the storm. Kankuro watched her with his lips pressed tightly.

There was something about her that set him on edge. He looked her over. She was a powerful ninja, no doubt, but there was something in her eyes that worried him. Sakura was a naturally emotional person repressing her emotions, which made her dangerous in ways he didn't yet understand. Darkness lingered just behind those leaf-green eyes of hers.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re checking me out.” Sakura grinned as Kankuro’s painted face grew almost completely red. Sakura stared up at the wind storm, occasionally catching glimpses of blue sky. “Do you smoke?” She asked.

“I uh… yes, but don’t tell Temari.” He managed, grabbing a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. “You want one?” He held one out to her. She took it carefully, wondering if Sasori still smoked those clove cigarettes. She’d kill for one.

Kankuro held out the lighter before lighting his own.

“I won’t tell Temari if you don’t tell Naruto.” She smirked half-heartedly at him, taking a long drag and blowing the smoke out into the wind, watching as it vanished in the near vacuum of sand outside.

“Shouldn’t the kindly doctor advise against smoking? It takes years off your life, after all.” Kankuro snickered.

“Oh, please.” Sakura groaned. “Kankuro, we shinobi are declared adults as soon as we’re sent on a B-rank mission. The average age of death for an active shinobi is 45, as opposed to the civilian 95.” She took another drag, reminded of Asuma’s excuse. _“This cigarette is the healthiest part of my life.”_

“That is... profoundly self-pitying.” Kankuro snickered. “Come on, it’s not a bad life. Besides, anyone above the age of 40 should probably retire from the combat life style.”

“Kankuro, you’re out of your mind if you think war-torn shinobi get to retire peacefully. You can’t just _stop_ fighting. You can’t stop once you start. You’ve seen what it does to people, right? It makes them crazy.” Sakura huffed, remembering the crazed scape goat that was Danzo. She grimaced and put out the much shorter cigarette before dropping it in the sand.

“Yeah,” He sighed, eyeing how the storm was beginning to retreat. “I suppose you’re right.” He thought of the Elder Siblings, how they hadn’t been happy despite having retired peacefully. “Let’s get there before night.” He prompted. “I’d rather not sleep in the desert.”

“Right.” Sakura nodded lightly, following after him. They walked in relative silence, but as they neared the gates, Sakura’s heart was pounding in her ears and she did all she could to appear calm. She gripped the straps of her pack tightly, so Kankuro wouldn’t see her hands shaking. A guard greeted the two in a less than friendly manner, but was entirely professional. He stepped by and let the two enter.

Kankuro guided her past a bustling people, going about business happily. It was nothing like the unwelcoming Suna she had seen before. She paced along the stone pathways, eyeing the new addition of greenery, feeding off of chakra enhanced soil. It seemed that Gaara was truly ushering Suna into a period of renaissance. She smiled as she spotted a group of children run past her, chasing a fleeing cat. They all wore headbands, so she assumed them to be genin.

“Here we are.” Kankuro gestured towards a large tower.

“This is… different, right? I’m _almost_ certain this is new.” She gestured widely as the entered, signing in and taking the elevator up to the top floor where Gaara’s office was.

“Yes, this is the hub of all boring stuff.” Kankuro wrinkled his nose and cocked his head a little. “It was the council’s idea. They saw Gaara invested a lot into the village, so they demanded that he invest money into the comfort of politics as well.”

“Sounds like there is need for adjustments within the council.” Sakura murmured, trembling a bit as she stepped into the large office that Gaara kept. It was absolutely covered in plants. An amazing accomplishment, really. She trained her eyes on the Kazekage. There was no one else in the room at the moment, besides Gaara, Kankuro and herself. She felt a bit of the tension leave her shoulders. “Temari is well and sends you her best. Well, and she told me to slap Kankuro, but I figured I’d wait.” She smiled.

“Thanks for that.” Kankuro pouted a bit, crossing his arms.

“It’s good to see you again, Sakura. How is…” Gaara tilted his head a bit and looked away. “How is Rock Lee faring?”

Sakura smirked. “Oh, he’s _faring_ well. I hear he has a mission here in two months once he’s done being on out-patient medical leave.” Gaara’s kicked-puppy look caused her to hesitate. “He’s still in mourning over Neji, but his legs are fine, and he’s going to make a full recovery. He has a medical history of overdoing it, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“I don’t doubt it. I’ve heard you’ve awoken the Yin Seal. Is that true?” Gaara asked, glancing at the diamond on her forehead. “Is that it? I recall seeing Senju Tsunade with that, but I had assumed it was a tattoo of some type.”

“This is the seal.” Sakura smiled.

“Congratulations.” Gaara politely bowed his head. A gesture unfitting for a Kage. As he bowed his head, he belatedly noticed the way Sakura was nervously picking at the hem of her shirt. “It is not Sasori, as the rumors state.”

“I-I know, it couldn’t be.” Sakura mentally chided herself for the stutter. “Chiyo and I killed Sasori.” She practically whispered. “So why is it that I am here, if not to identify this Hiruko?”

“Purely diplomacy,” Gaara admitted and handed her an envelope. “You see, the entire village is a bit wary of him, due to the uncanny likeness and similar skill sets. I simply want you to be seen investigating him, talking with him in public. It’s all posturing, but the council insists that it’s necessary. After all, if the Haruno Sakura, who killed Sasori, punched not only Uchiha Madara, but a goddess as well, and who has the yin seal, then we believe the people may be a bit more at ease, should you show them Hiruko only means well.”

“Oh.” Sakura blinked, holding the envelope awkwardly. She hesitantly opened it, pulling the key out.

“You’re being provided a place to stay, but I’ll admit. I would actually like for you to keep an eye on him. It’s a bit suspicious that he just shows up shortly after the war, with no trace, no file, no lineage.” Gaara stared out of his window. “Your temporary apartment is next to his, so that your job would be a bit easier.”

“I see.” Sakura turned the key over a few time in her palm. “Yes, that is quite suspicious, as if someone planted him there.” She suggested, beginning to worry if she’d have to kill him a second time. This time, she would properly mourn him.

“I understand your concern and appreciate it.” Gaara said, sitting down. “Thank you for your help, Sakura. That’s all for now.”

Sakura nodded a bit. Kankuro placed a hand on her shoulder. Her green eyes focused ahead as she began to suspect something she didn’t like.

“The council requested you meet him in a controlled environment. After all, you’re one of the few ‘flee-on-sight’ Konoha nins.” Gaara said after a long moment. “The meeting is set for tomorrow. For now, it’s suggested that you get some rest. The apartment has been stocked with food.”

“I understand. It likely wouldn’t bode well if I killed him upon seeing his apparently Sasori-identical face.” Sakura said with no lack of disdain for the idea. Kankuro gave her shoulder a small tug. She bowed deeply. “Let’s meet under less official circumstances next time.”

“I agree with your sentiment.” Gaara said grimly. Sakura was a very smart girl. He knew that she would very quickly come to understand the situation. Whether she agreed with it or not was another matter entirely. Then of course there were the repercussions of her knowledge. Would she attack Hiruko? Would she attack him? Idly, he wondered how much of a match he would be against her. He sighed deeply, and turned to speak, having not realized the two exited already.

“I’ll find my own way there. Thank you for your help, Kankuro. I think I’d like to wander the village a bit.” Sakura smiled at him and tugged her hood up, hiding the very identifiable pink hair.

“Got’cha.” Kankuro hummed and folded his hands behind his head awkwardly. “See you tomorrow then.” He smiled before turning and walking away. Sakura watched him go with darkened eyes as she finally was able to relax a bit.

There was a lot of information to go over.

Sakura eyed the way the sun gently laid over the horizon of the city’s wall. The clouds drifted lazily overhead, but promised a storm later on in the day. A sigh left her lips as her gaze followed the light breeze, carrying sand on it. She pulled her scarf up a bit before coming upon a rather large medical building. She got a strange feeling of déjà vu, before looking at the key in her palm and address on the envelope.

“Might as well,” Sakura said, hesitating for a moment before heading in the direction Kankuro had instructed her. “You won’t meet him wandering the street.” She chastised herself. “That was silly.”

She found herself at a moderately decorated building, a few clay reptiles plastered on the side, with cacti and other desert flora blooming at the base. She opened the door, and walked quietly through the corridor until she reached the staircase. The key had a ‘43’ inscribed on the bronze key. The staircase was a bit dimmer than it should be, and had the light stench of clove cigarettes. Her heart leapt into her throat, but she kept up a calm façade as she exited on the fourth floor and found her apartment.

The apartment was small, compact and made solely for the nin of Suna. There were weapon racks, locks on absolutely everything, and she noted that everything was made of a hard enough material so a stray fist wouldn’t break it. Well, the average, chunin wouldn’t be able to break it, unless they were a specialized Taijutsu user. She explored a bit, taking note of walls connecting to other apartments, to the way the balcony overlooked training grounds.

She opened the glass doors and stepped out, looking to the small balconies on either side of her. The one to her right held a planter box full of plants she knew to be dangerous toxins. Sakura stared for a long moment, before she reached over and plucked a deadly purple bloom. She tucked it behind her ear and leaned against the railing, watching genin team spar against their sensei.

The sensei glanced at her, blocking the kicks and punches with no difficulty, before he turned his focus back on his team. Sakura sighed, remembering her own days as simply a teammate. Tears dripped down her cheeks, startling her. She wiped them away quickly and jolted back inside when she heard a neighbor’s door slide open. Hastily, she shut her curtains and locked the door.

Sakura slid down until she was seated, hugging her knees and covering her eyes. She stifled the tiny huffs that threatened to make noise and expose her for crying. She told herself she wouldn’t do that anymore. All of her life, she was taught to repress, to hide her emotions, to only let them out in the form of violent rage that could aid her in battle.

After a few minutes, she managed to at least make the crying silent as she got up and began going through her bag for storage scrolls, what she considered to be the greatest shinobi invention. There were of course, major limitations to what someone could do with the simpler storages. Without the help of Ino, she couldn’t really bring anything large or heavy, but she had used quite a few of Sasori’s left behind storage scrolls to learn how to store a large amount of items, no matter how small or light.

She unsealed her clothing scrolls, organizing the week’s worth of clothes into a provided dresser. Gaara was quite kind to provide her such a well-furnished place to stay. Normally, she would have to rent out a room at the inn and worry about her things being stolen. This way, though she was neighbors with a man she no longer knew how to feel about, she had the security of solitude when she wasn’t working.

She laid back on her bed, training her eyes on the ceiling. Though she thought quite a bit about it, she suspected that she didn’t fully comprehend the situation now presented to her. Sasori was alive. Not only alive, but employed by the Kazekage as the General of Jonin and Political Advisor. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

Somehow, she knew that Gaara was fully aware Hiruko was Sasori. How could he not? Sakura reached over towards her pack and pulled out her mission dossier. She opened it and stared at the photo. He looked about as old as Kakashi did, a haunted look in his eyes, somehow darker than last time she saw him.

Sakura unclipped the photo and looked at it a bit more closely. The neckline of his shirt was a bit lower than how Konoha wore theirs. She narrowed her eyes critically as she saw the slight curve of a scar, small and unnoticeable to anyone who wasn’t looking for it specifically. She shoved the photo in the file and tossed it across the room like it burnt her. She recognized the scar. She was the one who put it there.


	8. New Beginnings

"We requested you specifically for this.” Gaara began.

Sakura stood in the middle of a circular room, risers full of political figureheads, senate members, lower management type of governing peoples, and directly in front of her, the Kazekage. What surprised her most, was how well organized Suna’s government had become. If she had to guess, she thought it functioned more efficiently than Konoha’s.

“May I ask who else was under consideration and why?” Sakura spoke freely, very unlike how the senate expected her to, though many members of that were young and accepted the informality at face value, rather than perceiving it as slanderous.

“Uzumaki Naruto, Rock Lee,” The two names left Gaara’s mouth a bit too quickly and Sakura fought to suppress a grin. “Tenten, and Akimichi Choji.” Gaara shuffled some sort of paper she couldn’t quite see, due to the angle. In the blink of an eye, and even surprising her own well trained senses, Anbu nin were lining the room, separating her from those who couldn’t fight back, then only one in front of the more than capable Kazekage and his brother. Sakura tensed instinctively. “We decided to bring you here because of your status.”

“Oh? Don’t you know Naruto is more powerful than myself?” Sakura asked, silently cursing the bitter tone in her voice. She really didn’t scorn her former teammates for surpassing her.

“Sakura,” Gaara’s voice was a bit more firm, causing her full attention to snap to him once again. “You should know better than any, that power is subjective. The legendary Team Seven stand on equal ground on the battlefield.” Sakura stared blankly as if she didn’t understand what he was saying, but he didn’t bother to reiterate or explain. “On top of that. You have a history with Sasori, whom many believe to be Hiroku. However, the people will see otherwise, if Haruno Sakura accepts and approves of Hiroku Akasuna.”

Sakura nodded lightly, still thinking his choice in name was just a bit too on the nose. She glanced back up at Gaara as he stood up. The rest of the room did as well.

“You are all dismissed, excepting the members of the counsel.” Gaara dismissed the assembly and slowly, all left, leaving Gaara, Kankuro, the man she recognized to be Chiyo’s brother, and a four other people she did not recognize. They sat in silence for a long time, as Gaara and the others seemed to be mentally preparing for something. “Your suspicions are correct, Sakura.” He said quietly.

Sakura’s eyes widened.

“We are well aware it is Sasori.” His voice was even and gave away no motive or emotion. He watched her in silence for a long while, and after deciding she wasn’t going to jump and attack anyone at the confirmation, he continued. “Even with Uchiha Sasuke’s frequent departure and undecided citizenship, it is well known that his loyalties lie with Konoha. That means that Konoha has Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Nara Temari…” Gaara almost stammered on the last name. “As well as countless recognized war heroes, your friends, I believe.”

“Yes,” Sakura said after a moment, when Gaara grew silent.

“That leaves a rather vast power imbalance between the nations and villages, and many of the other Kages are wary of Konoha, despite your peaceful reputation.” Gaara leaned back, finally showing a bit of stress the same way Kakashi did: nervously entwining his hands and fidgeting. Sakura mentally catalouged the reaction. “We are attempting to bolster our forces and three months ago, we found Sasori just outside of Iwa. So, we took him into custody, though he had not harmed a single person, and showed no signs of aggression towards us, even upon arrest.”

“That doesn’t sound like him in the slightest.” Sakura said brazenly.

_“Right?”_ Kankuro grinned down at her from his seat, eyebrows quirked upwards.

“He asked for you.” Gaara admitted.

Sakura froze.

She did her best to keep her face neutral, just as Tsunade would have done in her situation, yet a bit of nervousness crept to the surface as she felt a light paranoia settle into her bones.

“By name.” Gaara continued, narrowing his eyes at her. “Of course, for the great service you are doing for us, I will not look into why he would want the woman who ‘killed’ him to be the diplomatic liason, but I am wary of you, Sakura, nonetheless.”  
  
Sakura felt the prickle of sweat, a reaction in combination of the light heat despite the air conditioned room, and an immense fear of being found out for her previous relations with the known and wanted criminal. Kankuro gave her a knowing look but redirected his smirk towards the entrance of the room.

_There it was._ His chakra signature.

Sakura was by no means an excellent sensor, but during the war, Ino had trained her to be able to identify certain signature types. She noticed puppet users like Kankuro had a different signature, a more finely tuned control over their chakra, and a distinct presence. Behind her back, hidden by the large stone door, was a puppet user with a presence that made her stomach churn. Only that could be Sasori. No one else made her feel that anxious.

“We are prepared to subdue you, should you decide to attack.” Gaara reminded her, though the massive amount of Anbu had already informed her of that. At least they didn’t underestimate her. There had to be at least a dozen of them.

“I don’t plan to.” Sakura forced a grin. She heard the scraping of stone as the door opened behind her.

It was strange, but she noticed an odd feeling she couldn't quite place. A light burning from the scar on her ribcage. As if someone had touched it with the lit end of a cigarette. It was sharp and almost made her jolt, but she was well trained, and held her composure, even as the door was full opened. She didn’t turn.

Sasori watched Sakura intently, waiting for her to turn around, to acknowledge him, perhaps attack him. She had grown up, more than just physically, since he last saw her. She was sixteen then, now she had to be in her early to mid-twenties. She stood a bit taller, the same height as him, much to his chagrin. He looked her over. He had barely aged, since the body was kept in static in its own state of death, but when he found himself human again, he pondered his own age, assuming it to be mid to late-thirties. His breath caught a bit, much to his embarrassment, but he stepped forward with all the grace of a self-assured feline.

Kankuro noticed the way Sakura seemed to focus her eye contact intently on Gaara, trying her best not to look behind her. He glanced over to Sasori, taking in the way his own eyes were surprised and yet relaxed all at once. He watched Sakura’s back for a long moment, as if remembering something pleasant, before he casually walked up and stood beside her, that signature grin on his face as he too looked up at the Kazekage.

Sakura’s eyes remained trained on the Kazekage, though she saw a mop of curly red hair from her peripheral. She blinked for a moment, finally allowing herself a sideways glance. She shut her eyes a moment more than necessary and when she opened them again, she was gazing at the profile she thought she’d never see again. She only allowed herself a moment, but even when she looked away, she could still see him.

“Good, then you two aren’t going to attack each other on sight.” Kankuro laughed a little, though it was clear he was on edge about having the two of them meet. “So, Sakura, this is Sasori, you kicked his ass once. Sasori, this is Sakura, your handler.”

“My handler?” Sasori’s façade of relaxation broke for only a moment as he was hit with this new information.

Sakura gave Kankuro a look, something between surprise, and a warning.

“You were at one point, an S-class criminal with a kill count in the upper end of the hundreds. Of course those were only the ones you got credit for.” Gaara reminded him. “And if I remember correctly.” Gaara glanced down at his paperwork with his head cocked to the side. “You and another member of the since-disbanded group called the Akatsuki… murdered me.” He cut his eyes at Sasori, annoyed by the lack of remorse showed clearly on his face.

“I recall.” Sasori confirmed.

“And I hope you’re to make a formal apology.” Sakura finally spoke, now that she found her voice. Sasori’s eyes widened only the slightest. Her voice had changed just a bit, but it was _remarkably_ pleasant. He hesitated before bowing deeply, surprising everyone in the room, even the silent counsel.

“I apologize for actions I took while under the command of the Akatsuki.” Sasori said, causing Gaara to pause.

“Apology accepted… actions not forgotten.” Gaara said with a lack of mirth. “Since it seems you two will get along, as well as a criminal and legendary doctor can, you two are dismissed. Sakura, your mission from here until the end of the month is to watch over ‘Hiroku.’ Except the times when you two are separate by the walls of your residential areas, you must be watch his every action with great scrutiny. I want to know if Sasori is worth the time and effort of reformation.”

Sakura bowed first, and after a moment of stubborn pride being slowly forced down, Sasori bowed as well, at the same level she did. They both stood and watched as Kankuro joined them.

“Let me escort you out,” He offered, though it was more of a statement than anything.

“Sure.” Sakura smiled at Kankuro kindly, following at Sasori’s side as they left the building.

Sasori didn’t miss the grin shared between the two and a tinge of jealousy formed in his gut. They spoke lightly, mostly it was Sakura updating Kankuro on his sister’s personal life.

“Wait,” Kankuro stopped suddenly, not at all liking the knowing look that Sakura gave him. “You said… ill. Every morning.” His voice was little more than a high pitched whisper. “Is she…?”

“Yes, she is.” Sakura smirked and eyed Kankuro as his face grew red and he stammered.

“I’m g-gonna--!” Kankuro squeaked then put a hand over his mouth as embarrassment coursed through him, surprised by the pitch of his own voice. “I can’t believe…” He said after a moment, idly scratching his cheek then glancing back at Sasori, mostly surprised by the silence from the well-known criminal. “So then, girl or boy?”

“Too early to tell, but Shikamaru apparently calculated his genetics and he fully expects a son.” Sakura chuckled a bit, remembering the look in his eye fondly. Those two were quite excited, though Temari didn’t know how to show it.

Sakura refused to look at Sasori even as Kankuro glanced to the other side of her.

“I see.” Kankuro seemed to play with the idea a bit in his head before humming with determination. “I’m going to spoil that child rotten, and he will be a puppet user!”

“Oh? But if he inherits more of the Nara side, he will likely be a shadow manipulator.” Sakura grinned, as if provoking Kankuro. He gave her a look, before an idea struck him.

“Wait, from what I remember seeing in the war, Shikamaru was using his shadows as… well, basically puppet strings.” Kankuro began to get excited, though he tried to play it off. “A hybrid between the true art of puppetry and shadow manipulation… it will be amazing. I expect nothing less from my nephew!”

“Already deciding the poor kid’s fate?” Sakura laughed, causing Kankuro to falter. “What? Not planning of having kids of your own?” That made Kankuro actually stagger. He quickly looked around to make sure no one besides those two saw it. He grimaced and looked away.

“I don’t know. Raising a kid sounds tough. What about you? I heard Sasuke returned to the village with the intent of proposing to you.”

Sakura heard something snap and she had a kunai at Sasori’s throat before any three of them recognized what was happening. Sasori’s eyes widened considerably in surprise before his eyelids drooped and he leveled her with a mocking smile. In his hands, a small piece of wood he had been whittling as they walked. It was snapped evenly. Sakura glanced down at it, then back up to meet his eyes before glaring at him harshly and slowly lowering her kunai, offering no explanation or apology.

_“Damn.”_ Kankuro said after a moment, though Sasori’s reaction to hearing the Uchiha’s plans caused him to wonder about Sasori’s intentions.

“Yes, he did return to the village, though he did not propose marriage to me. I think. If he did, he didn't do it very well.” Sakura admitted, not bothering to state she had turned him down at all. Would it even matter to Sasori?

“And?” Kankuro prodded her arm lightly with his elbow. _“C’mon,_ details.”

“You remind me of Ino.” Sakura’s serious expression finally gave way to a little giggle.

Sasori swallowed the lump in his throat and made it a point not to look at either of them. That was a tremendously beautiful sound. Yet it pained him as well. She didn’t giggle like that for him.

“Ino… Oh, the Yamanaka? I remember she stayed with Temari when she still lived here.” Kankuro nodded lightly. “A bit of… a bit of a flirt.” He said, shutting his eyes and trying to hide the quick reddening of his cheeks. He tugged at his hood a bit and sighed. “Anyway, details. _Suna is terribly boring and I live for gossip.”_ He made a nonchalant gesture in the air.

“I don’t doubt it.” Sakura’s brow rose lightly and she halted immediately, arm darting out and stopping Kankuro in his tracks. Kankuro ran into the arm and doubled over, surprised at how it stayed solidly in place despite his walking into it. He grimaced and held a hand over his sternum. He was about to say something, but Sasori bumped into the two of them after having fallen in step behind them, glaring at them for inconveniencing him in such a way.

“What?” Kankuro huffed, rubbing his chest lightly.

“Drinks.” Sakura said simply, pointing to the bar they had just come to pass by on their way to the apartments.

“They don’t call you Tsunade Number Two for nothing.” Kankuro laughed but nodded. He could drink. He could _always_ drink.

Sasori eyed Sakura lightly before looking away just in time for her to glance at him. He was all the visage of apathy, but he hated that Sakura saw through it. That she saw remorse and yet looked away, uncaring and stiff.

“That’s the dumbest epithet I’ve gotten.” Sakura groaned, running a hand down her face dramatically before grinning at Kankuro.

It was amazing how much her mood at lifted recently, though she couldn’t pinpoint why.

“Dumb epithets? They call me the Kazekage’s Puppet.” Kankuro deadpanned. “Not to my face, though. Not anymore.” He said vaguely, though he had to stifle his own laughter as he remembered whatever situation he wasn’t discussing. Sakura grinned and pushed open the door, holding it for Kankuro and giving it a small push as Sasori followed behind.

He let the door hit him and stared at it for a long moment as he gained his composure. He heard someone quietly laughing and turned lightly, only enough to glare at them with the deadliest look he could muster. The deadliest look he could muster didn’t have much sting as his nose grew red and began dripping blood. He sighed and opened the door, pinching his nose lightly and using the black sleeve of his shirt to catch the blood.

“Oh, sorry, Hiroku.” Sakura’s expression said apologetic. Her tone did not. She made a gesture for him to come to her and he hesitated, weighing his options. Deciding to play the part of good-shinobi, he walked over to her and allowed her to heal the insignificant wound, as if he were a child. “All better?” She asked, tauntingly.

Kankuro finally caught on. When he did, he dropped the drink he had already ordered, pale in the face. Much paler than someone who ought to be for living in the desert. Sakura sent him a warning glare before smiling at Sasori.

“Yes.” Sasori said tersely and sat on the other side of the now awkward Kankuro.

He didn’t quite piece together the depth of their relationship, but he knew they had interacted prior to them ‘meeting’ for the first time, and Sakura nearly killing him. Still, there was nothing he could do with that information, so he filed it away and apologetically ordered another drink.

Sasori sat down next to Sakura and gestured for the bar tender. Sakura pressed the rim of a glass against her lips, hesitating for a moment before drinking. She closed her eyes and smiled. For just a moment, as the burn of the alcohol washed down her throat, she felt a very temporary bliss. She opened her eyes to find Sasori staring at her. She pointedly ignored him and tilted her head, watching Kankuro interact with the bartender flirtatiously.   
  
She swirled the drink about for a moment before downing the rest with a toss of her head and eagerly ordering more. Sasori’s brow quirked, something between surprise and amusement, but he knew better than to give her a look or make a comment.

“So, you have the Yin Seal.” Sasori said suddenly. Sakura paused as she was about to take a sip from the newly poured drink. She huffed in amusement and finished her action before setting the glass down lightly.

“Yes.” She said simply.

“I did quite a bit of research on it when I wished to delve further into Yin chakra.” Sasori admitted. “That’s quite an accomplishment.”

Sakura ordered her third drink, grimacing at him lightly. He was complimenting her, but it felt all wrong. It somehow hurt.

“Hey, I’m headed out. You know the way back to the apartments?” Kankuro spoke up, smiling amicably at the lightly buzzed Sakura. She nodded after processing his words.

“Yeah, if not, I’ll make this one show me.” Sakura stuck her thumb in Sasori’s direction but still refused to look at him. Kankuro grinned lasciviously, earning him a light smack on the arm. “Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything!” Kankuro hummed, rubbing his arm a little. Did she know how hard she hit? “And that count’s from Temari’s telling you to hit me.”

“Maybe.” Sakura shrugged but giggled a little. “See you later, Kranky.” Sakura called him by a nickname Temari had told her about. Kankuro groaned, covering his eyes before glaring off into the middle distance. He took a deep breath. He hated nicknames.

“Is there anything my sister hasn’t gossiped to you about?” He asked.

“Oh, probably not.” Sakura smirked. “I even know about the Winter Solstice incident involving, oh, what was it—something about a turkey and potato—“

_“Not the potato incident.”_ Kankuro immediately put a hand over her mouth, face red with embarrassment. “Shut up, I’m leaving now.” He groaned, pacing out of the bar a little too quickly to be considered normal.

“The potato incident?” Sasori echoed. Sakura ignored him, ordering her fourth drink for the night. He was surprised to say the least. “You know that’s something around 80 proof, right?”

“I’m a goddamn medical nin, with a liver that probably works twice as hard as you do, so shove it up your ass.” Sakura slurred before putting her fingertips against her lips, looking a bit surprised. “My apologies. I get crass when I drink.”

Sasori couldn’t contain the small burst of quiet laughter that escaped him, but he quickly cleared his throat, looking away. Luckily, she was drunk by now. Despite the ice, she had consumed quite a bit liquor. She was red in the face and hiccupping lightly. Still, she had a focused look to her eyes and he didn’t doubt she was listening to everybody in the room like a proper shinobi. He could see something behind those darker green eyes. It was even more troubled than when he last saw her.

Sakura sat down her drink and lowered her head, closing her eyes, almost looking like she was praying, but he knew well she wasn’t the type.

“I regret it, Sakura.” He said lowly. She went a bit rigid, thankful no one else could hear their private conversation over the ambient chatter of the bar. She finally looked him in the eye.

“Regret what?” She sighed with annoyance, genuinely unsure as to what he was referring to. He was such an odd individual.

“I regret not being a part of the war.” He finished his drink. “I regret ever putting myself in a puppet body. I lost a good portion of my heart.”  
  
There was silence. Sakura finished the last sip of her drink before dipping her fingers in the glass and popping a piece of ice into her mouth. She trained her eyes on the lightly stained surface of the wood her forearms were pressed against. The coolness of it soothed her raised body temperature.

“You’re annoying.” She hummed, sitting up straight. He watched the way her cropped hair dusted lightly over her shoulders before gravity pulled it back. He watched the way one scarred hand pushed a strand behind her ear. Her green eyes searched the surface of the bar before turning to him, but not quite looking at him. It was as if she was looking into him, to try and decipher something about him. “Let’s go.”

She got up deftly, as if she hadn’t had a sip to drink at all. He saw a flash of green and realized she had used healing ninjutsu to process some of the alcohol from her system. He hummed, a bit impressed. He followed behind her, suspiciously watching those that they passed. In this village, they remembered him, though with a bit of facial altercation from the shadiest individual in Iwa, they were certain he simply looked like Sasori when in fact he was Hiruko.

Sakura fumbled for her key before shoving it in the lock and opening her door. She took a step in and turned to look at him. He was staring at her. The moment his eyes left her, in preparation to turn and walk to his own door, she grabbed him by the front of his throat and pulled him inside. He barely had time to react before he was pressed against a wall with a kunai languidly resting a hair’s breadth away from his left eye. He blinked lightly, staring down at Sakura as she began to slide him up the wall. She’d gotten quite a bit stronger.

Sasori did his best to suppress his need to cough and choke as pressure was applied directly over hid windpipe. After a moment, she adjusted her hold so that he could breathe. He let out a small cough, merely to clear his pained throat.

“I was being honest.” He said, still quiet. “I regret not being a part of the war.”

“What part?” Sakura spat out the words like they scorched her tongue. “I would have had to kill you twice.”

Sasori had nothing to refute that with. He grimaced lightly as she dropped him to the floor. He got his balance easily, but glanced about before sitting on the couch. She watched him with a knit brow as he patted the seat next to him.

“What? Do you want me to sit down next to you? Talk this out?” She hissed.

“Talk what out?” He quirked a brow, relaxing into the seat and resting his arm on the back of the sofa. “Sakura, there’s nothing to talk out.”

She stared at him, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

“Would you have fought with Madara?” She asked.

“Why is that important?” He rolled his eyes.

“Sasori, I swear, if you make me repeat myself I’ll take your eyes out.” She growled, storming over to him. “Don’t forget, I can make you go away with just one word. You’re needed, but can be replaced, you’re just a puppet.”

He looked genuinely surprised for a moment. That insufferable grin had been wiped off his face.

“They say that liquor loosens the lips.” He hummed, running a hand through his hair. “It seems that is true. I can’t imagine you would say such things sober.”

“No, but I would think them.” She finally sat down, stabbing her kunai into the couch next to his leg to make a point. She hesitated but leaned back against him lightly, heart skipping a beat due to the proximity. She was trained not to let people that close. She was trained to take the lives of those that managed such a feat. Something about being this intimate in such a simple way made her nervous and excited and relaxed all at once.

Sasori waited a moment before his arm slowly rested on her shoulder, hand holding her upper arm in a vague semblance of embrace.

“I regret a lot of things, Sakura.” He said in a hushed tone. “I regret not finding you after you killed me.”

“Do you regret killing thousands of innocent people? Do you regret defecting? Do you regret killing the man you now work for?” Sakura pressed.

“No.” He said honestly, staring out into space as she did the same.   
  
“Oddly enough, I don’t hate you.” She whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. “Do you hate me for not forgiving you?”

“I do not hate you.” He admitted, playing with a bit of the oddly colored hair. He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it after a moment.

She shut her eyes, a great sign of trust. At this angle, he could easily kill her. A quick neck snap. Strangulation. Stabbing. She felt something touch her lips. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see a flame in front of her face. Her instincts told her to flinch away, but she was too tired.

“Cigarettes can kill you.” She informed him as she shot him a grateful look before gently grasping the familiar clove cigarette and taking a long drag.

“You can kill me to.” He acknowledged. “You haven’t yet. Do you plan to?”

“I want you alive, Sasori.” She said a little too quickly, watching as he lit one for himself. She felt a small smile. “Though you’re just so old.”

“Shut up.” He huffed, coughing a bit as he had tried not to laugh at her mockery.

“Mm, but you are much older than I. Your one usefulness to me… does it even still work? I mean, you’re an absolute antique.”

“You know how to make a guy feel insecure, don’t you?” Sasori narrowed his eyes, feeling anything but. He dropped a strand of hair in her eyes and she quickly brushed it back. “I’m not sure if it works or not.” He lied. “I think I may need to see a doctor. Do you know one?”

“No.” Sakura answered flatly. “But I know a man who’s pretty good with puppets. Nothing to sneeze at, but he has a minor bingo book entry. Had. He’s dead. I killed him.”

“You did?” He asked, looking down at her.

“Yes,” Her voice grew quiet. “It was one of my first real kills. Other than a handful of assassinations.” She blew smoke upwards into Sasori’s face. He glared at her momentarily. “The war took many of my friends. It took my parents. It took my mentor. I built a shrine to all of their memories.”

Sasori tried his best not to show surprise, but luckily, she was gazing off into nothing, rather than looking at him. The last bit of sunlight vanished, leaving only the ambient light from the well-lit village to filter through the blinds and cast its bluish rays onto their forms. He belatedly noticed the fabric of her headband. He thumbed over it for a moment.

“That? His partner delivered it to me after I killed him. Said he left it for me. Weird, huh?”

“Yes, very weird.” Sasori nodded lightly, smiling. He finished his cigarette and put it out on the surface of an ash tray.

“He was such an enigma to me.” Sakura grinned, pressing the cherry of her cigarette against her exposed thigh until it was extinguished. Sasori narrowed his eyes. After a gentle glow of green the burnt flesh was like new and she handed him the bent cigarette butt. He dropped it in the ash tray. “Left me with a nasty scar, too. One of the worst ones on my body.”

“Where? Care to show me?” He asked, prodding her ribcage lightly.

“Not there. On my back. I thought I misread it. He was pretty old, so he might have been senile, but he carved ‘Live’ onto my back.” She shifted until her head was in his lap and she was staring up at him with hollow eyes. “What kind of _asshole_ puts that on someone?”

“The worst kind.” He said quietly, brushing her hair out of her face and playing with it idly as his other hand rested on her ribs, just over the scar of a scorpion.

She fell asleep like that.

Sasori made a quiet breath of amusement as he continued to stroke her hair until he felt tired himself. He leaned his head back against the wall behind him. He wouldn’t move her just to get comfortable himself. Not when she looked that peaceful.

He didn’t need any sort of mind-entering jutsu to tell she was already having a nightmare, or more likely a recollection of the horrific war, but even then he was loathe to wake her. The heaviness in her eyes when she was awake was tenfold of that when she frowned and twitches in her sleep.

His eyes drooped a bit more before he finally let himself sleep, gripping Sakura’s waist to reassure himself that she was indeed there.


	9. First Task

Sakura woke up lying sprawled out on a couch by herself. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before shoving her mess of hair out of her face. Her eyes narrowed slightly. Quite distinctly, she remembered falling asleep in Sasori’s arms. A bit of rage bubbled up in her stomach and tears came to her eyes.

She forgave him and he left her alone?

“Breakfast.” He said suddenly, causing her to jolt. Sasori stared down at her, holding two plates. He paused, seeing the tears in her eyes. He glanced away and sat next to her, setting her own plate in front of her as she righted herself, wiping away the tear and trying to bring some semblance of order to her messy hair. He huffed in amusement.

“What?” She asked, glaring at him, as if she was daring him to say something.

“Why bother fixing your hair? There’s nothing to help it except a brush and pair of shears.” Sasori smirked at her mirthfully, and quickly ducking as she aimed a left hook at his face.

“You’re a little shit, did anyone ever tell you?” She hissed.

“Whatever you say, kid.” Sasori shrugged and produced a pair of shears. “Trust me?”

_“Where were you hiding those?_ And why? For the off chance that someone needed an emergency haircut? _”_ Sakura narrowed her eyes as she picked up her plate and hesitantly began to eat what she assumed to be either a local dish, or cuisine Sasori learned how to recreate through his travels. She took a bite and blinked a bit. Whatever the meat was tasted oddly like pig, but a bit sweeter.

Sasori watched her for a moment but ate his own when he received only silence as an uncertain answer.

After they both finished, the quiet stretched on as Sakura stood up and washed the dishes. Typically, her team operated in the way that anything unfinished by own person would be finished by another. Such as whoever cooked would not have to clean the dishes. Whoever put out the fire would not have to take down the traps. Whoever put up genjutsu traps, would not have to take first watch.

Two hands grasped her hips as she dazed. Sakura blinked and stopped what she was doing as she finished up. After a moment’s hesitation she continued, neither validating nor rejecting the touch. Sasori sat his chin on her shoulder, breathing in her scent. Like many shinobi, the scent of blood permeated her very flesh, but it was coupled with something more inherently floral, some sort of perfume she must have used regularly.

“I forgave you, Sasori.” She said suddenly, drying her hands and twisting in his grip until she was facing him. She hopped onto the edge of the sink, resting her arms on his shoulders. Hesitantly, her eyes met his.

His usually nonchalant expression was replaced by surprise. He blinked a few times and stepped a little closer.

“Even after running away from you?” He asked, nearly in a whisper.

“Even after abandoning me.” She affirmed, pressing her forehead against his.

“Did it hurt you?” He asked, his voice was a lot softer than usual. She kept her eyes open, not minding their entwined breaths.

“Not as much as killing you hurt.” Sakura admitted. “Not as much as seeing you alive. Did you ever forgive me?”

“Forgive you?” He smirked a little, causing Sakura to glare once again. “For what? I know I’ve done some terrible things in the past.” He tilted his head, standing up straight to get a proper look at her. “I still understand what I did. I have a bit more stability than those _coworkers_ of mine did.”

“I disagree.” Sakura hummed. “I think Itachi had you beat there. Did you know he was better than all of you? Sasuke cleared his name when he finally returned to the village.”

Sasuke’s mention caused Sasori to sigh a bit, but he quickly got over it. _It was just a name._

“Do you still have feelings for him?” Sasori asked.

“I never had feelings for Itachi.” Sakura smirked now, touching his nose gently with her forefinger. “Only ever met him in battle.”

“Smartass.” Sasori narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t have any residual affection for Sasuke.” Sakura admitted, half thinking she ought to keep that information to herself. Since he was asking, she wondered if it bothered him. “Why?”

“Oh, asking for a friend.” Sasori hummed, closing his eyes before cracking one open and watching her as she giggled. An easy smile crossed his face as he closed the distance between them and kissed her as gently as he could manage. Her giggling stopped immediately and for a moment he feared he had made a dire mistake that could quite possibly end in his nose being broken.

Very slowly, her arms pulled him closer until he was flush against her. Their mouths parted as she tilted her head. He felt the light flutter of her eyelashes against his cheek before he hesitantly opened his eyes to look at her. She had her mouth open, just a hair, as if she was debating whether or not to tell him something. He waited patiently, but he held her tightly. He was terrified that any given moment she would slip from his grasp.

“S-S—“ Sakura cleared her throat, blushing as she stammered, which caused a light grin to cross his features. “Sasori,” She managed, looking down into his eyes as she hesitantly played with his hair, noting how well kept it was now that he wasn’t living out of a bag and on the run. She smiled a little at the thought. “Why didn’t you resist arrest? Why haven’t you hurt anyone?”

He seemed to think about his answer quite hard before he narrowed his eyes, glaring at her in a way she knew held no malice, but rather delicate thought. She watched his face flicker minutely between emotions.

“For the same reason you rejected the younger Uchiha’s advances.” He said, in a calculated tone. Sakura’s cheeks nearly lit up with a blush, but she grimaced and covered one of them with her palm as she drew back, putting comfortable space between them. This however, only gave Sasori a better view of her. He withheld a smile.

“I see.” She managed, idly picking at the hem of her shirt. He glanced down to her hand. “It doesn't mean you’re off the hook. You need to atone for what you did.” She informed him, suddenly grinning down at him.

A cold chill ran up his spine and he did his best to look nonplussed by her words, but his eyebrow twitched with something similar to eagerness and curiosity. He quickly tilted his head so that his bangs would hide the expressive reaction. It was still too late, because that satisfied smirk on her face let him know that she could read him like a book. A groan passed his lips, causing her to chuckle softly. He glared at her once again.

“And how should I atone for—not figurative— _literally_ thousands of murders.” Sasori noted the way Sakura didn't bat an eyelash at his words, as if completely unaffected by the idea of mass murder. Then again, why would she be affected by such an idea? She'd witnessed it firsthand. Numerous times.

“Not just that.” Sakura shrugged a little, hopping off the counter and pushing him back.

Sasori staggered back, still surprised by her strength. That was now without chakra aiding her. It seems she had continued training rigorously. He felt a bit of pride in her, but that was easily squashed by a feeling of pure inferiority.

“What else did I do?” He hissed, taking a step back. He regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth, because the look of utter hurt in her eyes seized the sentence that was going to follow up on his previous one. The words died on his tongue as her wide eyes closed. She waited a moment, clearing the betrayal and incredulity from her face before fixing him with an even stare that Itachi would have been jealous of.

“Maybe one day you’ll find the fuck out.” Sakura’s voice, however, was low and dangerous. It made his entire body freeze up with fear. Despite what he liked to think, he realized he didn’t know her as well as he thought he did, because in that moment he wasn’t sure whether she’d pounce on him and snap his neck or just knock a few teeth out.

She did neither.

Sakura paced away, not afraid to turn her back to him in the slightest. She picked up a file with his photograph on it and opened it.

“It says here, you’re being utilized for your puppetry.” Sakura noted, voice laden with fake interest. Sasori sneered a bit, but kept his words safely in his throat. “What does that mean?”

“Kankuro and I are producing a large amount of combat puppets as well as training shinobi on how to use them.” He admitted, shoulders slouching a bit as he no longer felt killing intent roll off of Sakura in waves. Now it only seeped from her. He huffed in amusement when he realized how scared he had been for his life. It was an oddly refreshing feeling. For so long, he hadn’t felt anything but the desire for a peaceful end. He had been self-destructive beyond imagination, but now he felt it was his responsibility to stay alive.

“I see.” Sakura said, this time with a bit of actual interest. She closed the file and sat down on the couch, propping her feet up on the coffee table. “What did you do? All this time?”

“Wandered.” Sasori said more quietly than he had spoken previously. He sat next to her, this time not daring to put an arm around her, not daring to look her in the eye. He scowled down at his hands, littered in scars. His puppet body retained no scars, but he no longer wanted to be in one.

“Kabuto had… used the corpses of the other Akatsuki members to assemble a sort of army. The ones missing were your own, Deidara, Kisame, Konan, and Itachi.” Sakura informed him. “I found it… odd, that Kabuto, despite his seemingly endless resources was unable to recover those bodies. Are the others alive?”

“No.” Sasori said honestly, running a hand over his face before slumping forward with his elbows on his knees and his fingers interlocked. “I cremated Deidara and gave his ashes to his grandmother in Iwa. Kisame’s body is so deep in the ocean even Kabuto probably couldn’t find it. Konan… well, I don’t know what happened to her, but I know the people of Ame built a memorial to her. She was quite liked by the people. She was kind. A little _too_ kind, in the end.” Sasori sighed. “I… don’t know what Sasuke did with Itachi’s body. I did attempt to find it, but failed. I assume he’s in an unmarked grave somewhere no one would look, eyes crushed so that no one gets the sharingan.”

Sakura listened intently, a bit surprised by the information. It was an odd feeling. For so long, the Akatsuki had been nothing more than blood thirsty murders in an 'us vs. them' situation. She stared blankly for a moment before analyzing the resigned look on Sasori’s face. She sat back, gently setting her palm against his back.

“Were you close?” She asked.

“Close?” Sasori echoed, then paused.

Normally, he was the type of man who knew himself and his surroundings quite well. However, this particular thought had been puzzling him for years. To hear it out loud was worse.

“I suppose,” He said after a moment. “We were as close as a group of criminals could be.” He gave Sakura a light smile. One that surprised her. It didn’t seem forced.

“I’m… I’m sorry for your loss. I know first hand it can be rough.” Her voice broke a bit, and she cleared her throat again, giving a light sigh.

“I should have been involved in the war. I think I would have fought by your side.” He nearly whispered. “I was scared. Scared you wouldn’t let me. Scared I would be chased away from you by your friends.”

“Oh, Ino would have kicked your ass.” Sakura nodded, closing her eyes. “Naruto, too.”

Sasori grimaced at her, irked by her casual tone. He sat up until she peaked at him before cracking a smile. He huffed and looked back at his knuckles.

“I’m sorry about your parents.” He said.

Sakura’s throat clenched uncomfortably as she physically stopped herself from reacting. She remembered what Chiyo had told her about Sasori’s parents. She watched him frowning before she moved closer and put an arm over his shoulders.

“It was war.”

Sasori’s eyes widened a bit. Indeed, both of their situations had been caused by wars, though hers was a bit more drastic. He hadn’t grown attached to that many people to lose. Not even his numerous partners from his days in the Akatsuki.

“I think I would have liked to travel with you.” Sakura admitted bashfully.

Sasori nodded a bit. “Company would have been nice. Though, I could do without the silent threats to my safety.”

Sakura laughed lightly before leaning her head against his shoulder. He smiled a little.

“You never answered my question.” He mentioned.

“You asked several.” Sakura grinned.

“You’re terribly insufferable.” He groaned. “What do I have to do to attone? For killing, and for leaving you.”

“Hmmm…” Sakura placed a finger on her chin as she thought, lightly tapping her bottom lip, idly. “Ah, I know. You have to do several things. First, you have to become my apprentice.”

Sasori stared at her before realizing she was serious. “Why?”

“Well, Gaara admitted that the medical field here in Suna could use a little boost, so you’ll train under me.” Sakura tilted her head. “That will automatically grant you dual citizenship to Konoha, as well…”

She had become quite the schemer. He laughed under his breath before nodding in agreement.

“I haven’t been to Konoha in quite a while.” Sasori looked at her meaningfully.

“Oh, of course not.” Sakura leveled him with a knowing look before cocking her head towards nothing in particular.

“And you’re aware I was quite good at medical ninjutsu before I originally defected, correct?” He asked.

“That was at least a hundred years ago. The knowledge of medicine has changed quite a bit, antique.” Sakura smirked widely as Sasori nearly choked on air and glared at her, seething from the clear low blow attack on his age. She was very proud of herself.

“Fine.” He narrowed his eyes. “What are the other tasks?”

“Oh, you’ll find out later.” She lightly tapped his nose before standing up. “I think it will make a good impression of you if I take you on as an apprentice. Good for Suna, as well.”

“What are you planning, Sakura Haruno?” Sasori felt a laugh trying to escape him, but he only gave in to the form of a light grin as he stood as well, running a hand through the messy curls.

“Ah, ah.” Sakura hummed. “I’m still mad at you.” She smiled. At first, he thought it was some sort of misdirection, but it seemed genuine. He hesitated to dare to look away. Breaking eye contact, he gathered his things. “And since I’m mad at you, I’m going to have to keep a closer eye on you than I thought. We may even have to sleep in the same bed.”

“Of course.” Sasori agreed, almost a bit too quickly before he reeled himself back and glanced at her. He waited for her at the front door, deep in thought as she busied about, trying to force a brush through her hair quickly as to not keep him waiting too long.

Vaguely, he wondered if he would survive a night with her. Surely she’d kill him. Slowly, and carefully, and painfully. Sasori’s brow twitched a bit as redness spread from the tips of his ears, over his cheeks, across his nose.

“What are you thinking about?” Sakura asked. Sasori jolted when he realized she was right in front of him with that horrible grin on her face. He looked away, trying to stop his train of thought and failing completely. He growled in frustration and opened the door as she began to laugh. It was a good sound, there was no doubt there, but at his expense.

* * *

 

  
“I think…” Gaara hesitated, pinching the bridge of his nose. He clasped his hands together, muttering lightly under his breath. It was a bad habit he picked up from his older brother. “I think you two are going to give me an ulcer.” He murmured to himself, knowing fully that both of them could hear it. He saw Sasori fight to contain a cheeky grin and Sakura restrain herself from jamming an elbow into his side. “I think it’s a mutually beneficial idea, actually. I like the idea…”

There was a pause.

“As for the nature of your relationship,” Gaara let out an even breath. “I have thought much on it, and thorough deliberation, choose to completely ignore it.”

Sakura blinked for a moment. That sounded almost exactly like something Kakashi would say.

“It’s not _my_ headache.” He said a bit more casually, sitting back in the chair. “I trust you, Sakura. I’m benefitting too much from him to say I don’t trust him even a bit, but I do have trouble believing he just stopped comitting violent atrocities.”

“ _Ever the voice of reason._ ” Kankuro grinned, rolling his eyes a little.

“However,” Gaara had a kind look in his eyes. Kind but fierce and determined.

Sasori’s eyes finally met Gaara’s and he paused. The last Kazekage to look at him like that…

Gaara stared for a moment before continuing. “I will only approve your dual citizenship from this side on one condition.”

“Yes,” Sakura spoke for Sasori. It irked him, but he supposed it was technically her right, as his handler.

“I want questions answered.” He said firmly. “Not. Avoided.”

“Absolutely.” Sakura bowed deeply, and much to the Kage’s surprise, Sasori did as well.

“Very well. If it is mutually beneficial, I will answer your questions.” Sasori sighed, rubbing his scalp before pushing his hair out of his eyes. “Though I do prefer not to be interrogated again.” He glanced away from Gaara.

“I have outsourced help for that. It will indeed be an interrogation, but I believe Miss Haruno would be fine with overseeing it. After all, it will be a Konoha nin who should be arriving within the week who will do this.” Gaara sat back, a light smile on his face.

Sakura froze before grinning widely, almost proudly at Gaara.

“You planned all of this?” She asked, more a statement than a question.

“Your unknown prior interactions were unexpected, but yes.” Gaara nodded lightly. “It is my duty to provide the best life for my people, and I will do just that. I plan to bring this new, peaceful Suna to prosperity by sharing information and power with the other villages. Something still relatively frowned upon, as you know.”

“I think it’s a good goal. It may very well prevent another war like the one we just experienced.” Sakura tilted her head, eyes darkening for half of a moment. It was quick, but Sasori noticed it, even if the others didn’t. Resentment. It was something he recognized. “May I ask who you are bringing?”

“Yamanaka Ino.” Gaara watched her face light up and smiled. Bonds were something he appreciated more than most people did.

“Thank you.” Sakura bowed once more before Gaara couldn’t contain his laugh.   
  
Over the years, with help from his siblings, Gaara had learned to live as though his childhood hadn’t been as rough as it was. He learned to overcome his hardships with more a grace than before. Still, his role as Kazekage prevented him from so openly displaying his emotions as he would like to.

“You two should take this day to relax. Tomorrow will be tiresome… for at least one of you.” Gaara idly prodded a potted cacti on his desk before remembering his station and awkwardly clasping his hands together as Kankuro grinned at him like a child. “You’re dismissed.”

Sakura bowed and waved girlishly before walking out, Sasori by her side.

Kankuro watched the door shut and uncrossed his arms.

“It’s certainly a strange thing to witness.” Kankuro admitted, pushing off from his place on the wall. He hopped up and sat on his brother’s desk, legs crossed as he looked over the papers.

“Agreed.” Gaara nodded lightly.

“Do you think he is committing crimes under our watch?” He asked, picking up a bound packet and flipping through the files of several nin from various villages that were coming to share information and gather some for their own home.

“No, that’s the odd part. I don’t think he’s doing anything besides what we tell him.” Gaara picked up the cacti he had previously been fidgeting with. It was in a terracotta pot, painted with green paint depicting the words: **‘HAVE A YOUTHFUL BIRTHDAY’** , though in quick, carefree brush strokes. He usually had the words facing away from any possible audience, but it made him smile to see it. Kankuro said nothing on the subject, but smiled. Seeing Gaara happy was all he really wanted, after all.

  
“I think the future looks bright.” Kankuro shifted until he was staring out of the window behind Gaara, looking over the endless sands. “Bright enough, anyway."


	10. Argumentative

“So it’s a … non-lethal _capture_ puppet.” Sakura repeated, staring at the hideously large puppet that took up the entire living room, leaving them only the space they currently occupied. “How many can it hold?”

“Only ten. Now that I don’t have a core, I can only operate ten puppets at a time, however this one is difficult and requires much more attention from me.” Sasori explained.

“It looks like Orochimaru’s summon.” Sakura quirked a brow at Sasori and glanced at him in time to see a rather self-satisfied grin. “Is it? But wasn’t Manda much larger?”

“Yes, I had to bring his size down, but the unique feature of Manda is that he can return to the size he was when alive, therefore he can be used to store even more people. He is, himself, an advancement in fuinjutsu.” Sasori explained, jerking a finger and causing the snake to slither with a fluid motion. Sakura was nearly entranced with how evenly and steadily Sasori could puppeteer it. It seemed as though Manda was alive and moving of his own volition. The only give away that he was at all a puppet was the empty, glass set of eyes he had.

“If I’m not mistaken, you’ve improved… and became more creative. This is far better than your regular ‘kill and maim’ puppets.” She smirked but then smiled genuinely as his grin devolved into a content tilt of the lip. He seemed momentarily at peace with a gentle look in his eyes and his eyelids lowered. He stopped abruptly when he caught her staring for longer than necessary. He hesitated before bringing Manda’s maw towards him and Sakura.

“Look,” He prompted. With a twitch of his finger, Manda’s jaw came open with no lack of grace. Inside were rows of sharp teeth, and a trap full of the same glowing blue chakra strings that Sasori used to operate all of his puppets. “He’s segmented as well. Whomever I capture is ingested, so to speak, then locked in a segment of him. Each segment can only hold one person, but the larger he becomes, he contains more segments.”

Sakura nodded idly, listening carefully for any sign of ‘murder-thousands-of-people-Sasori’. In the past, her interactions had been simple and fleeting, if a bit confusing. Now, however, the only thing she was certain of was the feeling of dread that burrowed its way into her heart, because in some deeper, darker part of her own mind she knew she didn’t want to go back home when her mission was complete. She didn’t want to be apart from him. She heard Sasori pause in what he had been explaining.

“Are you even listening?” Sasori snapped. His tone was harsh and he came closer to her by merely a step. Sakura eyed him thoughtfully before smirking.

“Oh, no. Not in the _slightest._ Did you think I would care about some sick freak’s art project?” Sakura hummed with a wide grin as Sasori’s cheeks reddened with indignation before he sealed the puppet in a scroll once again. He couldn’t quite tell if she was being serious or not, but much to his embarrassment, he found himself genuinely distraught. Sakura’s eyes softened. “I’m kidding, Sasori.”

“Are you?” He hissed.

“Yes. I find it fascinating that you were able to kill the thing, then somehow preserve him in such a life like state. If it matters to you, my opinion is that this is perhaps even better that your Kazekage puppet, you know, the one you're renowned for...” Sakura said honestly, watching with delight as Sasori ducked his head a bit in an attempt to hide the blush that wouldn’t go away. Sakura shifted until she was lying horizontally with her head in his lap, looking up in those honey-colored eyes.

Sasori’s eyes widened considerably and his palm dropped from his cheek. Instead, his fingers twisted carefully and gently into her hair as he watched her expression. She smiled.

No, _she smiled at him._ Just him. Not a joke, or a quip, or a sarcastic jab. She was looking at _him,_ and she was smiling. It was beautiful.

“What’s with that look?” She asked, bringing her hand up to his cheek. His skin was warm. A bit warmer than she remembered, last touching it so tenderly. Had she ever taken a moment to truly appreciate it? No. She was too frightened to.

“You’re ugly.” Sasori deadpanned. Sakura scoffed and flicked his nose, causing him to cover it and look at her strangely. He had fully expected her to break it, not emasculate him in such an odd and unexpected way. He rolled her into the floor and darted out of the way of her springing from the floor, aiming a kick at his chin. He chuckled and snatched her up from the floor by the back of her neck, thoroughly surprising her. He then lifted her much higher than she would have expected him to be able to. “What? Didn’t think I could lift you up?”

“I assumed you wouldn’t have the body strength, given your affinity for puppets…” Sakura admitted and began to struggle against him.

“I scored _4/5_ in Taijutsu.” Sasori hummed. “And I’ve practiced since we last fought, quite a bit.”

“Well.” Sakura clicked her tongue and stopped for a moment, watching with glee as Sasori’s eyes flickered from relaxed ease to silent panic. He tried to jerk away from her, but she grabbed him this time, and lifted him in her arms, holding him bridal style, much to his chagrin. “My own Taijutsu is a 5/5, and with my chakra control, I can lift quite a bit of weight. Even you, without the aid of chakra."

Sasori couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him before he stopped and glared at her. “Did you just call me fat?”

“O-Oh god, I just c-can’t seem to—soooo heavy.” Sakura whined, waltzing over to the glass doors overlooking the small balcolny. Sasori choked and began to squirm to get out of her hold. “I-It’s just, without that p-puppet body. Y-You're _so_ heavy!!” Sakura gasped for air as if she were struggling to hold him. She nudged the door open with her foot.

“Sakura—don’t you dare!” He ended up screaming as she tossed him over the railing. He growled in frustration and used chakra strings to attach himself to the building.

“Woah, it’s like you’re a spider or something.” Sakura grinned down at him. “Gross.”

“You’re such a bitch.” Sasori sighed, pulling himself towards the railing.

Sakura winked and extended her gloved hand down at him. He blinked before taking it and letting her pull him back onto the balcony. He sighed and brushed his shirt off before turning and looking at the neighbor to their left, now over watering the cacti as she stared with complete shock at the scene that just played out. Sakura scratched her cheek before ducking back inside. Sasori simply smirked at the neighbor’s clear horror before Sakura pulled him back inside, shutting the glass door.

“So, creepy boy.” Sakura tilted her head, still pulling him, this time down the short hallway. He quirked his brow and let her lead him towards her bedroom. “I assume you’re much less aggressive as well.” She hummed, pushing him against a wall.

“And why would you assume that?” He asked, looking at her casually, despite the feeling of excitement that he had so missed.

“Oh, are you saying that you’re still as violent as you were before? I don’t believe you.” She hummed, shrugging a little and letting go of him. He leaned against the wall, watching her as she turned her back to him and pushed her hair back a bit.

“You’re awfully brave.” Sasori noted, then tilted his head. “Or stupid.”

Sakura groaned, rolling her eyes. “I’m trying to set a mood, and you’re--!!”

Sasori smirked, having flickered from his spot on the wall to directly in front of her, kunai in one hand, hooked at the top of her shirt. She blushed and took a moment to admire the look on his face before hers began to resemble his. She gripped the blade with her palm, uncaring how a droplet of blood dripped from her curled fist. She moved it away from her and backed him up until the back of his legs hit the bed and he fell onto it.

Sakura crawled over him and pressed her palm against his lips, smearing blood over his face. Her toes curled at the sight beneath her. Sasori’s lethal glare combined with the blood streaking his nearly perfect face, matching in shade to the hair that framed him like a pool of blood from some sort of dire wound. She leaned over and kissed him, tasting her own blood on her tongue as he hesitantly opened his mouth against her kiss.

They were both inexperienced, so it was a bit sloppy, if not uncertain. Sakura leaned back to look at him once again. She had dearly missed the sight. Sasori’s hand pressed gently against her cheek. She felt his thumb trace over her bottom lip before he traced the line of her jaw until her hairline, where he grabbed a fist full of hair and yanked her down, causing her to yelp.

He held her there, grinning.

“Did you think if you kept it short no one would be able to use it against you?” Sasori hummed.

Sakura regarded him with a harsh look in her eyes before allowing herself a small smile as she took the kunai still in her hand and flipped it, pointing it up at him, just barely not touching his throat. He hesitated before leaning against the tip of it and allowing his own blood to stream down from his neck to the cold blade, until it made a harsh red line down her arm. She watched it lazily.

“I think I need to remind you of my strength, Sakura.” Sasori said. “You seem to think because I have become gentle, that I have become weak.”

“While we were fighting, you told me those things went hand in hand.” Sakura teased, stifling a gasp when his hand darted out and he gripped her throat. The surprise caused her to falter and drop the kunai. He picked it up and flung it so that it stuck in the head board. Just as his teeth found her ear lobe, the door bell rang. Sakura jumped a bit and glared at the open bedroom door. “We’re not here.” She whispered.

“Right.” He returned, biting down hard on the cuff of her ear and eliciting a low growl from her as she tried to stay quiet. He chuckled and did it again, this time on the tender flesh just beneath her ear. She whimpered and grabbed at his hair, causing him to wince.

The doorbell continued to ring as he left a trail of bruising bites along her neck. A few of them bled. The ringing at the door became more incessant until Sakura groaned.

“Hold on, let me just.” Sakura touched her neck, staring at the blood. She sighed. “Can you get it?”

Sasori sat back and stared blankly at her before she realized what the issue was. She glanced down at the seat of his pants, noticing a sizable swelling.

“Yes, let me answer the door like this.” He mocked before getting up and grabbing something from her bag. He came over and wrapped a shawl with a high collar around her neck. “Go tell them to fuck off, we’re incredibly busy.”

“Invite them in for tea, got it.” Sakura said as if she wasn’t just as aroused as he was. Despite how much she wanted to ignore the ringing, she was almost afraid to. One wrong move could be a diplomatic mess. Plus, any chance she got to put Sasori in a situation he didn’t like was a blessing.

She pushed her hair in front of her ears and walked up to the door, carefully opening it. She peaked out, only seeing black. She blinked before Kankuro leaned down, grinning knowingly. Had he always been tall? That pissed her off in a strange way. She hated when people were  _much_ taller than her. Like how Naruto would occasionally rest his elbow on her head just to remind her of her stature. It was the entire reason she started wearing heeled shoes--

“What?” She squeaked when he pulled the door open.

“Going somewhere?” He asked, noting the shawl. She hesitated.

“No.” She decided was the best route.

“Ah. So, _you threw Sasori off of the fourth floor.”_ Kankuro said, getting straight to business. Sakura hesitated then started giggling as she stepped inside and gestured for him to come in.

“Tea?” She asked.

Kankuro turned as he heard swearing from the bedroom.

“I see. So… is it some sort of weird foreplay?” He asked bluntly. “Yes, thank you. Jasmine?”

“Jasmine it is.” Sakura acknowledged, a slight blush on her cheeks. She neglected to respond to that other comment.

“Fucking hell!” Kankuro gasped, suddenly pulling a strand of hair out of the way to see where he saw blood dripping from. “What the fuck? Did he attack you?!” He asked, suddenly ready to take Sasori into custody.

“What? No! Well...—no. No. Definitely not. Just a bit of sparring.” She shook her head vigorously, eyeing Sasori as he came into the room, a bit disshelved. She narrowed her eyes in his direction, noting his full nudity other than a decorative throw pillow he held in front of his pelvis. He smirked at Kankuro who immediately grew red in the face, staring and uncertain how to respond. “Ugh.” Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose tightly, a habit she had picked up from Tsunade.

“I see.” Kankuro managed, finally looking away, turning his gaze back to Sakura. “Wow, that is not how I imagined to see one of my childhood idols naked.” He murmured, before gathering his wits once more. He sighed. “I just came in investigate your apparent murder of Hiruko here.” He gestured back towards Sasori, who sauntered up, leaning on the counter next to Sakura.

Sasori seemed all too satisfied with the way he affected both Kankuro and Sakura.

“Just… don’t throw him off the balcony again please. You’ll scare the civillians. And other shinobi. And my brother.” Kankuro took a deep breath. “That being said, I need to discuss something with you, Sakura. It's why I came here originally. I heard about your tossing of him in the lobby.”

“Oh.” She hummed, putting the kettle of water on the stove top and hesitating as she tried to figure out how to work it. It took her a moment, but she managed to cause the gas flame to light and took a step back, smiling at the two of them with a bit of pride. Sakura tilted her head towards the table and Kankuro nodded, sitting down. Sakura sat across from him as Sasori linked his arms around her shoulders, seemingly not at all minding the company. Her cheeks were a bright red, but she schooled her expression.

“The council is… eager,” Kankuro chose his words thoughtfully. “about your taking Sasori as an apprentice, and they are willing to allow him to stay in Konoha for however long it takes, however in collateral, they want a few ninja from Konoha to come take apprentices here in Suna, so as to further help spread knowledge between villages. It, however, comes with the understanding that Sasori won’t be sharing puppeteering techniques with Konoha nin. They think it would be better if we still hold that card.” He explained, trying his best to ignore Sasori’s nudity and the way he just lounged on Sakura like some sort of cat. It seemed to unlike him, then again, what really did he know about Sasori apart from how he was perceived? There were rumors about his ‘playfulness’ when he was in the Anbu force, but it almost always ended with a corpse being made into a puppet.

Kankuro jolted a bit when Sasori made eye contact. He looked away quickly as the high pitched whistle of the kettle fortunately broke the tension, but seemed to puncutate his thoughts exactly. Sasori walked over, having at one point managed to put on pants without either of them noticing. Sakura shook her head a little before smiling apologetically at Kankuro. He fidgeted with his thumbs awkwardly as Sasori poured the tea, not unlike a house wife. Kankuro paused again as he drew the comparison. This whole visit was making his head spin with complete and utter confusion.

This could not be the same Sasori that murdered thousands of people, took down a Kazekage, singlehandedly fought against Chiyo and Sakura, then managed to somehow survive those two. Then again, Sakura seemed to be acting oddly as well. Perhaps this was the first time he saw how they acted behind closed doors. He managed a polite ‘thank you’ and sipped at the tea as Sakura seemed to think over his words.

“That’s fine, I’m sure.” Sakura nodded. “I imagine that Suna could benefit quite a bit from someone who knows Taijutsu better than I do, so Rock Lee. Then of course, I’ve read over the files and weapon usage could use some improvement compared to Iwa and Kumo, and Kiri of course. So Lee’s teammate Tenten ought to be one selected as well.”

“What files?” Kankuro furrowed his brow, a bit embarrassed that she was right.

“I was Tsunade’s apprentice for years. And I…” _occasionally substitute for Kakashi when he goes missing only to be found later that day at the hot springs._ “Happen to be a very trusted advisor of the current Hokage.” She said instead with a light smile. Sasori finally sat at the table, sliding a cup of tea to Sakura. She was happy to put her hands around it for a bit of comfort.

“They want five people, so Rock Lee, Tenten…” Kankuro noted on a slip of paper then looked back up at her. Sakura blinked, having for whatever reason thought he wasn’t taking her suggestion seriously.

“Well, the genjutsu is very good here, but I believe Uchiha Sasuke could help improve it.” She said almost too quickly. It would also ensure that him and Sasori weren’t in the same village at the same time.

“Oh, he’s good at genjutsu? An Uchiha?” Sasori said mockingly and glared at Sakura, who returned the hateful look.

They did not look like a healthy couple in the slightest, Kankuro thought. Yet… ' _Wait, is couple even the right word for this?'_

Sasori was grinning at her now when she realized he was pushing her buttons on purpose. She sighed.

“Rock Lee, Tenten, Uchiha Sasuke, who else? Would it be possible to get Nara and Temari out here?” Kankuro asked.

“Well, Shikamaru is Kakashi’s advisor, so I doubt he’d be able to take a break from that, but Temari’s a possibility.” Sakura admitted. “Oh! Hinata! You should bring Hinata.” She said suddenly. “While it may not seem like it, Hinata is one of the best diplomatic voices of Konoha. She’s not shy like she was when she was younger. She’s quite good at diplomacy.”

“Great, Rock Lee, Tenten, Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Hinata, and of course, Temari.” Kankuro nodded eagerly then grinned at Sakura. “Looks like things are going to get much more interesting. Have you decided what the two of you are going to do?”

“What do you mean?” Sakura asked, giving Sasori a side glance before looking back at Kankuro.

“Well, I mean, eventually the mission will end.” Kankuro grimaced. “And you’ll be apart.”

Sasori watched Sakura’s eyes narrow in the slightest amount. That was about as much of a flinch one could expect from her now days. He turned his attention to Kankuro curiously.

“And Sasori cannot leave Suna permanently.” Kankuro said after a moment of silence. He didn’t like the look in Sakura’s eyes.

“Right, of course. It doesn’t matter.” Sakura straightened up a bit. “He’s merely my apprentice.”

“Oh,” Kankuro blinked before shaking his head a little. “My apologies… I thought…”

“It’s fine.” Sakura raised her hand a little. “So, is there anything else?”

“No, not currently.” Kankuro said, finishing off the tea and standing. “Thank you for the suggestions. I’ll hand these directly to Gaara.” He said with a light smile. “See you around.” He cocked his head towards them as Sasori escorted him out. Sakura slumped a bit and stared down at the table.

“We aren’t anything other than master and apprentice, hm?” Sasori said after he heard the elevator doors open and Kankuro step in. He glared at Sakura. “Is that really what you think?”

“You don’t seem like the roses and chocolates type of man, Sasori. If I’m not mistaken, I was a one night stand you took a bit of interest in before disappearing off the face of the earth, leaving me to think that you were dead for… how many years has it been?—Too many, Sasori.” Sakura retorted. “Did my words hurt you, puppet boy?”

Sasori stood there, eyes fully open instead of half lidded. He made a humming sound.

“I see.” He said. His eyes were dark and for a long moment, it looked like he hadn’t changed in the slightest from the man he used to be. He walked to the table and stood at her side, but she remained in place, not glancing up at him. “Your words did hurt me, Sakura. It may surprise you, but I feel just as you do.”

“Do you, now?” Sakura rose a brow and finally turned to glare at him. Her eyes were usually a shade of spring green, but now they were icy and blunt. “You could have contacted me at any time, you know. You still didn’t, even after the war was over. You know, you aren’t too different from Sasuke. You both abandoned me for years on end, but at least he came back. At least he had the guts to say how he really felt instead of just vaguely admitting it or working around his own feelings.” She snapped, causing Sasori to recoil a bit.

All she could see was fury behind a façade of relaxed contentedness. Sasori clenched his fists, hands shaking a bit with rage and indignation at the comparison of him and the younger Uchiha. He stormed off to grab his shirt and scrolls before he walked out, slamming the door behind him. She worried she went too far.

Sakura sat in silence for a long time before she slumped. Her apartment was quiet, save for the light hum of the refrigerator, the steady whisk of the AC, and the ambient noise of Suna’s citizens all going about their business bellow. It continued on like that for quite some time before she heard a single drop of liquid onto the hard surface of the table.

Then there was another as tears rolled down her cheeks. She began to tremble but grabbed her own arms in an attempt to not move too much. She felt as if she was too loud, the consequences of her rant would worsen. She let out a shaky breath and bit off the tail end of a whimper that escaped her. Tense palms quickly wiped away the tears as they came more quickly now from her warm face.

“Damnit,” She murmured, voice quaking. She wanted to say something else, as if Sasori could hear it, but she couldn’t manage to say anything in a respectable tone, so she simply sat there and wept.

On the other side of the walls, Sasori sat on his own couch, fighting back the urge to cry as he heard her sobbing. He bit the inside of his cheek, taking a few deep breaths. He wasn’t nearly as emotional as Sakura was, but what she had said truly stung. Almost entirely because of the truth in it. He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. Just what was she to him?

He liked to consider himself wise, or at the very least, intelligent. He didn’t used to be. Before getting his proverbial ass handed to him by his grandmother and the brat next door, he was irrational, sharp-tongued. Never before had he considered consequences. His self-destructive behavior was ultimately what lead to his demise. Had he just handled it a bit differently…

The thought died as he tugged a black cigarette from his case. He lit it easily and took a long drag before slowly releasing the smoke into the air. His eyes fell closed.

“I hate apologizing.” He murmured, rubbing his cheek a little, feeling oddly numb now. “It’s a waste of time.” He continued in the next breath. He sat up and slumped a bit, resting his elbows on his knees. Perhaps a letter this time? Something for her to have in writing. A loud sigh left him, residual smoke leaving him and forming whimsical shapes as it disappeared into the air. He stubbed the cigarette out on the edge of the table and left it there before he got up and walked over to the desk.

He had a couple of photographs. That was new for him. Luckily, he had been resourceful enough to find them, but previously he thought keeping such sentimental items was wasteful and made him weak. Now he realized it was something to help keep others in his memory. Among the photographs, his parents, his grandmother, his team from Anbu, Deidara, Itachi, Konan. He glanced around in his own paranoid way before picking up the third picture frame and opening it up. Behind the photo of his team was a second, depicting the spitfire next door. She stood in all her glory with her team beside her.

The next sannin.

She looked like a legendary ninja ought to, tall and proud. He found himself smiling and tilted his head back. Sakura was a hero among not only Konoha, but all of the nations. She was known for not only her monstrous strength and chakra control, but her mercy and compassion as well. She healed two armies, once by herself. She brought the last Uchiha and the Nine Tails Jinchuriki back from the brink of death. She was able to stand beside them as equals.

Sasori’s smile fell a bit. What had he done? He had killed an innumerable amount of people, He had caused suffering that he could never repent for. He had surmounted to nothing more than an entry in the old generation of bingo books. His photo had been gone from them for the past five years. He leaned forward.

Age hadn’t truly bothered him before. Now it loomed like some sort of uncertain entity in his life that no matter how he tried to ignore it, it snuck up on him. Truthfully, he wasn’t that old, but for a shinobi it was surprising. He groaned and shook his head.

Ever since he’d returned to his human body he’d had trouble with despairing over useless shit. He stood up immediately and paced around for a moment, before storming out of his apartment.

Sakura heard a door slam. She half expected hers to open the next second, but she heard Sasori tread to the elevator and decided it wasn’t her problem. She dried her eyes and let out a sigh.

She was a fool to think he had changed enough to love. Sakura leaned forward and stared down the flooring like it had been the one to wrong her. Well, she’d just have to be professional about this. He was officially her apprentice after all.

So, Sakura did exactly what Tsunade taught her. She pulled herself together. She buried her emotions. She picked up a piece of parchment and ink pen and began to work on an update to Kakashi.


	11. First Sight

“That’s not to account for blood loss as well. Even without the poison, there’s no way for her to survive, so why bother?”

  
“This is no medical ninjutsu, boy.” Chiyo said. Calling him ‘boy’ was easier. Looking into the lifeless eyes of her grandson was already painful, but to acknowledge that the monster in front of her was unbearable for a woman who knew she hadn't much longer in the world.

  
Sakura’s own dulled eyes looked up at Sasori. His face reflected nothing but hatred and desperation, despite the way he feigned neutrality. She waited for Chiyo to look away. She smiled. His eyes widened and he averted his gaze. Sakura looked to Chiyo curiously as she mentioned the resurrection jutsu.

  
It hurt. It hurt an unimaginable amount, but she didn’t have it in her to scream. Instead, she dazily watched Sasori’s face with the ghost of a smile on her lips. For some reason, right then, she didn’t feel the usual heavy burdens that consumed her psyche regularly. Strange peace enveloped her, radiating from where Sasori has stabbed her. It was funny how they wounded each other, not just physically. They had a shocking amount in common, for two polar opposites.

  
Even without her years of medical training she knew that it was a fatal wound, so instead of fighting it, she spent her last moments staring up at the man she had denied affection towards. In her heart, she knew she didn’t _love_ Sasuke, but rather the image she had projected upon him. She cared deeply for him, yes, but she didn’t romantically love him as she once may have. Instead, she felt that strange pain for the man who would be known to the world as her killer. Of course that would have to be the man she sympathized with. _She must have a type for the men who hurt her the most_.

  
His eyes drifted down to her, even as he spoke with Chiyo. Sakura couldn’t see what she was doing, but she felt the woman try to mend her back together in a fit of desperation. It perplexed her as to why. Chiyo had no investments in Sakura. She hadn’t known her for very long, yet she seemed like she needed to heal her.   
Sakura coughed up a bit of blood that was forced from her throat by a wave of chakra. The blood splattered across her face. Sasori’s eyes locked with hers. Her heart fluttered as she saw something she hadn’t at all expected. Though it was well hidden, it wasn’t completely covered. He felt remorse. He could feel remorse, and he felt it for her. The smile fell from her lips as her world drew dizzy and dark.

  
_Maybe in the next life, Sasori. It will be so nice to see you again._

  
The cold of death began its grip with her toes and fingertips. It was peaceful. She always imagined a slow death to be awful, but with Chiyo’s healing she barely felt a thing. What more mercy could a warrior hope for in their final moments?

  
The chilled ache blossomed through her hands and feet, wrapping around her arms and legs until it got to the stab wound and manifested in a beautiful array of nothingness. She noticed how loud and ragged her breathing had become as the ringing in her ears ceased. After a moment, she could no longer hear or feel her breathing. There was a comfortable silence that she let wash over her. Her pains were gone and a sense of familiarity came to her.

  
Shinobi were never very religious, but most believed in two dieties: Jashin, Lord of Suffering and an unnamed reaper that carried away the souls of the fallen. She had never been a believer in either. Though what she saw before her puzzled her. It wasn’t exactly a light, like the old cliché suggested. It wasn’t light at all in fact. It was comfort. She twitched her hand lightly, testing the movement and found it easy to sit up.

 

“Chiyo?” She questioned the darkness around her. After a long pause, she spoke again in the next breath. “…Sasori?”

  
There was no response.

  
It was odd, but she felt at peace. Like she could just sit there forever and have no problem with the numbing ambience. Normally, she heard a constant and quiet ringing, like the striking of metal along a strand of cable. Tinnitus, she knew, from one too many hits to the head during training, one too many exposures to the explosion of a paper bomb. Most had it, had they been in her line of work. However, now it was gone.

  
The loneliness was manageable, and only lasted a moment as she felt a drowsiness overtake her until she was lying down again.

  
The word ‘limbo’ seared in her mind in a peculiar hum. The pain hit her once more and she felt the wet fabric of her clothes stick to her flesh. Her very bones ached terribly. She heard two people exchanging words in a casual fashion.

  
Sakura felt tears gather in her eyes.

  
“A human life is precious, Sasori.” She heard Chiyo wheeze, clearly strained and in distress.

  
Sakura shot up, sweating profusely. She gripped her abdomen to find it free of wound and blood at all. Her eyes drearily looked around. She wasn’t on the battlefield. She was lying on a sofa…

  
A groan escaped her as she processed that she had been delusional, dredging up memories she'd rather not visit. She grimaced, recalling her scorning Sasori. “I’m going to have to apologize…” She muttered. “I hate apologizing.”

Ino had recommended ever since her fight with Sasori that she come into the clinic to seek medical help. She went so far as to even once declare the Sakura was too unstable for field work, after a prolonged state of dissociation. After that, Sakura was careful to deal with her trauma in a quiet manner. 

She thumbed the hem of her clothing as she stared idly at the wall separating their living quarters until this diplomatic bullshit was over. While she didn't regret her decision to take him on as an 'apprentice', she did wonder if it was the right move. Given their rather peculiar history together, there would be any number of problems with them spending a prolonged amount of time together. Still, there was no way she could just abandon him. 

He was important to her.

They both changed when they met each other, whether it was for better or worse was yet to be seen, but they invoked reactions within each other no one else could manage. It was difficult to try and understand it all, given that she didn't know his side very well.

* * *

 

Sasori's hands were shaking--

' _Which is odd to begin with, I mean I've faced thousands of shinobi before she even graduated from the academy, I took down the third Kazekage in his prime and fought entire armies on my own and my hands never shook then, so there's really no reason for them to be shaking now. It's a ridiculous notion that a simple apology.'_

His thoughts raced but his face remained unanimated and he didn't speak a word. His palm lifted to the handle and hesitated.

_'Who do you think you are? There you go again arrogantly bragging about all the people you've killed, you've murdered, you've mutilated. What does that all matter anyway? All it took was a few plucky kids to unravel a lifetime's worth of art that you dedicated blood, sweat and tears to. You're nothing. You're only remembered by the occasional apprentice puppeteer who happened to find an old dossier or outdated bingo book copy. You're nothing, and you amounted to nothing. Your life is over. You fucked it up, so you don't get happy.'_

He stared, wide eyed at the door before backing up. He cradled a bundle of desert marigolds in one arm, the other paused in a knocking position at the wood of her door. He couldn't hear her on the otherside, but he could sense her chakra signature.

_'Of course you can't hear her, she's a better ninja than you ever were. It was a good thing you died relatively young, you always were awful at sneaking about. Even in special forces, your strength was always in puppet-wielding. If you could call that a strength. A skill, maybe.'_

He twitched a bit, backing up further from her door.

_'That's right. She was happy before you came back into her life. It's fitting that you're a poison user.'_

The door opened.

_'That's what you are, after all. You're poison.'_

Sakura stared at him silently with an unreadable expression. He didn't look in her eyes.

_'Don't poison her too, Sasori.'_

* * *

 

Just as she was about to head out, she felt a familiar chakra signature at the entrance to her apartment. She ignored it as she continued to busy herself, cleaning up what little mess there was as she desperately searched for something to delay the inevitable. Her eyes nervously drifted to the door.

On the other side, it was quiet. She had heard him approach but her training forced her to notice his chakra first. She paused as she heard the door knob move ever so slightly. She clenched her shawl to her chest as nothing came of the motion, and she heard a step. She was tempted to sigh when she heard another step. Evidently he changed his mind. She paced silently to the door and opened it.

Marigolds.

All of her hours spent helping Ino arrange meaningful bouquets came back to her for a moment. 'Sorrow of a Lost Love,' Ino had said with a sad smile. 'But it can also symbolize winning the affections of another through hard work. It's a very bittersweet flower. Did you know it's also poisonous to certain mammals?' Sakura stifled a grimace as she tried to make eye contact with Sasori.

He didn't have any sort of remorseful expression, but the fact he was openly staring at the middle-distance behind her was an indication of his nervousness. 

"I'm sorry." He finally said, stunning her a bit. She wanted to jump in an give her own apology, but she waited. He finally made eye contact. "I won't leave you again, until you tell me that you'd rather be apart, Sakura." He said sternly as if he had finally found his missing confidence. 

"I'm sorry, too, Sasori." Sakura grimaced a little and took the flowers as he held them out for her in such a shyly juvenile way that it turned her grimace into a genuine smile. "It was unfair of me to compare you to someone else. You're not him. You've made your own mistakes, ones you'll never be able to repent for in this life, but I don't need to forgive you, to be happy in your presence."

Sasori stared for a moment before giving a small nod. Sakura waited for another reaction before rolling her eyes and grabbing his hand. 

"I don't need you to repent for your previous crimes. As long as you stay by my side, it will be enough." Sakura asserted, tugging him closer. She felt his hesitation as he reached out and slowly wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her against himself, in a foreign and strange sort of gentleness she'd never really felt from him before. A smile found her again as she brought her arms up and held him. 

 


	12. Adventures in Travel

 

“Tell me about the… uh,” Sakura paused, eyes lazily searching the sky above them for answers. “I guess dynamics would be the right word…”

“Dynamics of what?” Sasori asked, following her gaze to the cloudless evening glare.

“The Akatsuki. There was no formal information release like there normally would be. It was a bit of a touchy subject with the Hokage after he found out everything that Obito went through. I don’t think he’s even read through the information.” Sakura admitted openly.

“Oh, right.” He said in a sigh and tilted his head a bit.

They sat under the shade of the apartment balcony’s awning. Sasori was covered in a layer of dust with a thick bruise blooming over his cheek and Sakura still hadn’t cleaned her bloody lip. They had just gotten done sparring after a long day of working together on a new poison. His hand laid on top of hers as it braced against the hard surface of their shared seat. Dirt and a bit of blood was trapped between their skin but neither of them minded.

“Well,” He paused and glanced over at her. “It was not as cruel and distant as you may have thought. We were close. Of course, none of us were really like a family, but having no one else made us rely on each other a bit. As much as a group of criminals with trust issues can rely on anyone, anyway.”

“What about your partner?” Sakura asked, unscrewing the cap of a bottle of water and holding it to offer it to Sasori. He took it and downed a bit before handing it back to her.

“Deidara was such an asshole.” Sasori tried to sound annoyed but he couldn’t help a small grin. “He was probably the closest thing I had to a friend at the time. Despite our creative differences, we worked well together.” Sasori stared off into the distance for a bit too long, as if he were stuck. Sakura moved so that her hand was on top of his and she squeezed it, getting his attention. Tears were forming in his eyes, but he showed no emotion otherwise. She pretended not to notice.

“Do you miss him?” She asked.

“Dearly,” Sasori laughed a bit. “Not that I don’t adore our fights, but I do miss the debates about art with Deidara, and even his annoying habit of adding ‘yeah’ or ‘un’ like some sort of degenerate to the ends of his sentences.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Sakura said genuinely, leaning against him a bit.

“They were criminals, but many of them… many of them could have had better lives. While it doesn't excuse what we did, the shinobi system breeds people like us all the time. A lack of compassion can do the worst things, especially to kids.” Sasori stared at the high walls of Suna. “Itachi, Kakuzu, Kisame, Nagato, Obito, Konan…”

“I heard about Konan, Nagato, and Itachi, and witnessed Obito. I never heard about Kisame and Kakuzu.” She said.

“Kisame only wanted honesty, when it came down to it. He was perhaps a better man than most that you would come across in any of the villages.” Sasori looked to her to see her reaction. She looked a bit surprised. “Kiri and Suna were bad places to be a child. You’ve seen what villages do to prodigies and child-geniuses.”

“What about Kakuzu? He was a bounty hunter, if I remember correctly.” Sakura gripped his hand again.

“After he failed in killing Hashirama Senju, his own village imprisoned and tortured him. When he escaped, he began offing the more powerful nin in Taki, before deciding to become a bounty hunter.” Sasori squinted, trying to remember what he could.

“A suicide mission.” Sakura huffed, “Who would expect someone to win against the first Hokage?”

“They evidently were misguided on the Senju’s strength.” Sasori gave a small grin. “You Leaf ninja are hard to kill, you know?”

Sakura smirked a bit, one eyebrow raised. “Evidently so are you. Oh, I uh… I met Deidara, actually.”

The immediate concern that came over Sasori’s features would have been humorous in any other conversation.

“My teacher, Tsunade, had sent myself and team 8 out to where we had fought in hopes of finding information. It was lucky that Hinata hadn’t activated her Byakugan. Deidara and Obito were still in there.”

“He didn’t attack you.” Sasori said with some amount of certainty.

“No, but he insulted me with truth that might have hurt a bit more than any explosive.” Sakura huffed with an annoyed grimace. “Had I been as strong as I am now, back then, I would’ve kicked his ass!” She exclaimed, punching the air then smiling as Sasori gave a mirthful but benevolent chuckle.

“He liked to insult people. What’d he say?”

“If I remember correctly, after calling me out-classed and out-powered, he noted that I wasn’t worth his time.” Sakura counted out on her fingers.

“That sounds like him. He’d always been more prone to power insults rather than looks.” Sasori gave a small nod, watching Sakura’s expressions with a smile.

“He was mourning your death.” Sakura told him, a bit quieter.

“I know.” Sasori’s face darkened as he stared down at their hands rather than looking her in the eye.

Silence fell between them and Sakura watched as Sasori, having just opened up a bit, closed back up. His eyes trained on something in the distance and settled there as venomous thoughts swirled through his head, barely encased by a self-built wall of confidence. She noticed the way he inwardly flinched when she lifted his hand in hers and began to examine the scars there.

“Let’s go inside and get cleaned up.” She prompted with a gentle smile. Sasori’s eyes softened as he looked at her directly and he nodded, following her back into her apartment. “You can get the first shower, I’m going to fix dinner.”

Sakura opened up the refrigerator, looking for ideas on what to fixed when she felt a hand on her waist. Sasori planted a kiss on her neck before disappearing into the bathroom. She smiled goofily as she washed her hands and began preparing the food. She heard the water cut on and leaned against a counter while she heated a pan and placed the flayed fish in it.

Sasori exited the bathroom, holding a towel in front of him.

“I don’t have any clothes.” He spoke up as Sakura placed a lid over the pan and turned the heat down so it would only keep the fish warm now that it was cooked.

“Why would you need clothes?” She asked, grinning a bit as she walked up to him, placing her hand over his. He leaned in for a kiss and she ducked, grabbing his towel and bolting for the bathroom.

“Sakura!” Sasori hissed, running after her, but running face first into the door instead. He took a deep breath. “I can open this you know.” He informed her, glaring as he heard her giggling from the other side. He twitched a finger, running a chakra thread under the door and trying to blindly connect it to the handle. He grimaced as he felt his chakra be cut off.

“Did you place a seal… on the restroom door?” Sasori asked, incredulous. There was a long silence.

“Do you not place seal tags on your own?” Sakura asked, turning on the shower and stripping down. “Someone could break in.”

“I’m usually the one breaking in, not the other way around.” Sasori shrugged and gave up as he heard her step into the shower. He set the table before wandering into her bedroom, hoping he had left clothes there. While rummaging around, he dug through her own clothing and grabbed a pair of her own pants. They were a bit small for him, but he would not walk around nude if she was going to be clothed.

He caught a glint of light out of the corner of his eye and glanced back into the bag, pulling out a kunai wrapped in a crimson cloth. For a moment, he couldn’t control his thoughts as they were suddenly in battle once again.

“How many of those will you throw before you realize it is useless?” Sasori hissed, using the iron sand of his puppet to catch Sakura’s kunai. He couldn’t help but notice the fabric wrapped around it being from one of his shirts that had been a casualty of their previous coupling. His face contorted with grief but it was well hidden from sight. He glared at Sakura as he hid it inside of a puppet along with his ring. He knew he wouldn’t make it out alive at this point. The best thing he could do would be to make his passing easier on himself.

He thought it unusually cruel of her that she would remind him of such a happy time in the middle of their battle to the death. He began to drown in his own thoughts. His movements became sloppy and he was caught off guard by Chiyo.

“Sasori!” Sakura screamed.

Sasori’s eyes went wide as he found himself in the bedroom once again, old, blunted kunai cutting deeply into the palm of his hand as he gripped it tightly. Sakura pryed it from his fingers and quickly healed him.

“What’s wrong with you?” She whispered, placing her hands on his cheeks and forcing him to maintain eye contact. He seemed to slowly come to, and his furrowed brow relaxed into his characteristic neutral gaze. She sighed with relief and gripped his hands in her own. “You’re here with me, Sasori.” She said as she felt him move to hug her.

“I zoned out, I suppose.” He said, quietly as possible.

“Let’s go eat dinner.” Sakura suggested. “It’s already on the table, probably getting cold now.”

“Right. I’m sure it’ll taste just as awful as when it was warm, don’t worry.” Sasori grinned as he noticed Sakura’s eye twitch.

“Be grateful!” She hissed, quickly picking up a piece of his own food and shoving it in his mouth as he opened it to retort. He chewed it and grinned again.

“I was right.” He said slyly, eating without her assistance however.

“You aren’t much better at it. Everything you make tastes like sand. Tea included.” Sakura lied, beginning on her own meal.

“Of course it does, dear.” Sasori hummed between bites. Sakura stared at him.

When had they moved to pet names?

* * *

“Your progress is surprising, to say the least.” Gaara admitted, filing papers about. Kankuro nodded with something of a knowing smirk on his face as he eyed the two of them. Despite one of them being a healer, it seemed like every time they were together, someone came out with a deep bite wound that they tried and failed to cover up. “In only three weeks you’ve managed to create something neither of you had been able to do on your own.”

“Thank you,” Sakura smiled proudly. “We hope we can continue to make such progress.”

“It seems like your mind for medicine pairs well with Sasori’s mind for poison. I will make sure each shinobi gets an antidote as well as a dose of it by the end of the month.” He said, writing something down. “I have a favor. You can turn me down if you’d like.” He led with, causing a bit of nervousness in both Sakura and Sasori.

“Yes?” Sasori hummed after too long of a pause.

“Since you’ll be in Konoha anyway, I would like for you to see if my nephew, Shikadai has the Magnet Release. Temari never had it, but it has been known to skip generations on occasion.” Gaara said and held out a file. “These are the tests you can run. I’ve omitted most of them for… safety reasons, but the few that are there will help you determine his possession of it. I also have a gift I’d like to be delivered. I won’t be able to visit for quite some time, however.”

“We will do this.” Sasori took the file. “I’ve had plenty of experience with your clan’s kekkei genkai.” He said a bit too coyly.

“Watch it.” Sakura hissed.

Sasori frowned at her but didn’t say another word.

“Very well. I will expect progress reports while you are in Konoha, as well as the arrival of the collateral nin shortly after confirmation that you have arrived there.” Gaara turned his chair a bit and looked to Kankuro. “You are going to escort them.”

“What?!” Kankuro hissed, before clearing his throat nervously. “I mean, yes, of course. No problem!” He gave a thumbs up, but there was some sort of unspoken tension.


End file.
